Kathmandu. A team deputed from the Ministry of Youth Labour and Employment, Singha Durbar and the Labour and Employment Office, Teku under the Department of Labour and Occupational Security, inspected the remuneration and perks of the workers at the Frontline Hospital in Kathmandu. This step has been taken to ensure the rights and well-being of workers working in essential sectors like hospitals as part of the regular monitoring process of the Government of Nepal.

During the monitoring, a team comprising the representative of the secretariat of Youth Minister Ramji Yadav and the inspector of the Labour Office, Bibek Yadav, studied the status of minimum wages of the employees working at the hospital. Although the hospital has been found to have implemented the minimum wage standards set by the government, the workers’ involvement in the social security fund is found to be very low.

According to the hospital administration, the age limit of 60 years among the employees and some policy confusion about the withdrawal process have led to the reduction in affiliation. However, the employees complained that the hospital administration had only assured to deposit the money in the fund but did not deposit it.

The Labour Office has directed the hospital to rectify the shortcomings seen in course of monitoring and to immediately enlist all the employees in the social security fund and submit its evidence within seven days. The office has also asked the hospital to submit a 10-point report in this regard. Among the demands are details of the names of all the workers and trainees, remuneration, facilities and deposited amount in the Social Security Fund for the month of Baisakh 2083, Employees Service Regulations and Security and Health Policy of the Academy.

Factory Inspector at the Labour Office, Bibek Yadav, said that the monitoring has been initiated to address the complaints received about the compulsion to work overtime in the hospital and the facilities for the same. “The state aims to continue monitoring of all establishments regionally in the coming days and ensure the legal rights of workers,” he said. The monitoring team has also given verbal instructions on the need for immediate rectification and further legal instructions will be issued once the evidence is received.