Haryana Assembly Approves Landmark Job Security Bill for Contractual Employees

The Haryana Assembly has passed the Haryana Contractual Employees (Security of Service) Bill 2024, ensuring job security for 1,20,000 contractual employees. The bill guarantees job security until superannuation, salary increments, and various benefits. Employees with over five years of service will receive additional pay increments.

The Haryana Assembly unanimously passed the Haryana Contractual Employees (Security of Service) Bill 2024 on Monday. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini highlighted that the bill is a significant step forward in providing job security for 1,20,000 youth employed on a contractual basis.

Addressing the assembly, Chief Minister Saini reiterated the government's commitment to safeguarding jobs, stating, "We had assured 1,20,000 youth that we would secure their jobs. Today, all members of the assembly are ready to discuss this bill. I congratulate all the youth and extend my best wishes." This legislative move follows the Haryana Cabinet's approval of the Haryana Contractual Employees (Security of Tenure) Ordinance, 2024, on August 8.

The legislation aims to improve the working conditions for contractual employees, ensuring their job security until retirement age. It encompasses the state departments and Haryana Kaushal Rojgar Nigam, protecting employees who have served at least five years by August 15, 2024. The bill also aligns the basic salary of contractual employees with their non-contractual counterparts.

Furthermore, it provides annual salary increments in correlation with the Dearness Allowance adjustments, while introducing annual increments after a year of service. Employees will also benefit from death-cum-retirement gratuity and provisions of the Maternity Act. Health cover under the PM-Jan Arogya Yojana-Chirayu Extension Scheme is assured for their families, except for those earning above Rs 50,000 or engaged in centrally sponsored schemes.

Additionally, contractual employees with over five, eight, and ten years of service are set to receive higher pay increments of five, ten, and fifteen percent respectively, above the minimum pay scale of their posts. This comprehensive approach exemplifies the state's commitment to enhancing the livelihoods of its contractual workforce.

(With inputs from agencies.)