The Maharashtra Labour Commissioner directed all establishments to not terminate or deduct wages of contract or temporary workers.
A circular issued on Saturday by Dr. Mahendra Kalyankar said termination of employee from the job or reduction in wages in the current scenario would further deepen the crisis. It will not only weaken the financial condition of the employee but also lower their morale to combat the situation created by the spreading novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.
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The circular further clarifies that if any place of employment is non-operational due to COVID-19, the employees will be deemed to be on duty.
This move follows Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s appeal on Friday asking owners of private establishments to continue paying salaries to their staff “in the name of humanity”. All shops and private offices, except those providing essential services, in Mumbai, Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Nagpur have been ordered shut till March 31.
Rescheduled
In another development, Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad on Saturday announced the postponement of the last Class X exam scheduled for Monday.
Ms. Gaikwad said, “In view of the corona situation updates, school education department has now decided to postpone the Class X SSC Board exam scheduled for Monday, March 23. The decision on rescheduling the exam date will be taken after March 31.”
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On Friday the Minister had announced cancellation of all examinations from Class I to VIII, and those of Class IX and XI to be held after April 15. She had said the board exam timetable would not be changed.
However with the number of new cases rising since Friday afternoon, it was decided to postpone the last paper, said an official from the school education department.
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