Nearly two months after industries were allowed to function, the unprecedented crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in problems to both employees and employers. While workers reporting to duty have been anxious over the possibility of contracting the infection at workplace, employers are grappling with worker absenteeism.

Several top industries across automobile, pharmaceutical, and food processing, among other sectors, in the State have reported COVID-19 outbreak among their workforce while the infection has affected workers in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) too. Government intervention has helped in a few cases, but in a large number of cases, companies have handled the situation on their own.

Range of responses

Without a standard operating procedure (SOP) in place, factories have not stuck to a particular sealing norm once the infection is detected on the premises. Therefore, the procedure adopted so far has ranged from factory premises being sealed for just one day for sanitisation to as many as 21 days. President of the Karnataka Employer’s Association B.C. Prabhakar acknowledged that there are no standards in sealing norms, and each employer has been handling the situation on his/her own. He further argued that a common operating procedure would not suit all sectors. “We may require different SOPs for different industries. However, employees have also started pointing at different industries and questioning the management over handling of the situation,” he said.

Barring a few big companies, experience so far suggests that workers who have contracted the virus in the workplace or have become primary contacts have been asked to go on leave or take loss of pay if they do not have adequate leave.

ESI and non-ESI

Currently, only workers covered by the ESI — where workers’ monthly gross fixed salary is less than ₹21,000 — get 28 days leave, which can be used only if they are COVID-19 positive. His/her primary contacts who also require quarantine do not qualify for this leave. The problem for non-ESI workers is that not all workers get sick leave, as it is not prescribed under the Factories Act, and is only negotiated with managements. “Unfortunately, in many companies, the workers’ leaves have been adjusted for the phase one lockdown period and workers are not left with many leaves,” said D.A. Vijaybhaskar, general secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress.

“Workers are attending duty under great stress and are scared for their lives,” Trade Union Coordination Centre general secretary G.R. Shivashankar said. While in some big companies adequate precautions are being taken, in most companies there is not much precaution, he claimed. He also said that regular leaves are being adjusted against sick leave arising out of COVID-19 or for being a primary contact of a positive person.

Mr. Prabhakar also acknowledged that a sizeable workforce has not resumed work citing COVID-19 threat and also under pressure from families not to attend work over safety issues.

Insurance cover

Though “quarantine leave” is an issue, the cause of bigger worry has been the insurance cover for the workers vulnerable at work place, which ranges from ₹1 lakh to ₹3 lakh in a majority of cases, and in few cases up to ₹5 lakh.

“Families have not been covered. Only now some companies are waking up to the situation,” Mr. Vijaybhaskar said.

‘Occupational hazard’

To ensure health and safety of workers, the AITUC has urged the State government to treat COVID-19 as an “occupational hazard” under the National Disaster Management Act, 2005, as scores of workers have contracted the infection at workplace.

A memorandum sent to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa cited the recent document of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that suggests COVD-19 to considered as “work or employment injury”. The trade union also pointed out at 17 countries severely affected by the pandemic that have considered the infection as an occupational hazard, which has led to labour benefits. It has also sought for 14 days quarantine leave with wages for the affected workers.