KP bans domestic employment of children under 14

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has banned forced labor and domestic work of children below 14 years of age.

The KP Assembly approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Based Workers (Welfare and Protection) Bill, 2021 to address the rights, duties and problems of domestic workers.

KP Labour Minister Shaukat Yousafzai introduced the Home Based Workers Welfare and Protection Bill 2021 for approval. Under the law, children under the age of 14 are prohibited from engaging in domestic and forced labour.

The law will allow for a regular appointment letter to be issued for recruitment, which should clearly state someone’s salary, method of payment and nature of work.

After implementation of this law, every employer will be required to give an appointment letter to their domestic workers. According to the conditions in the bill, individuals can only work for eight hours. However, if an employee wants to do extra work of their own free will, they can and will be paid overtime. However, even in this case, the weekly working period should not exceed 60 hours.

The law requires the employer to notify the employee in writing in advance of one month’s dismissal or resignation, and a full month’s salary will be paid.