By Varun Singh

On Friday, the department of cooperatives, directed the cooperatives commissioner, Pune, to inform all housing societies that they cannot frame rules of their own.

Many housing societies had come up with rules barring the entry of maids and even drivers in their complexes in the wake of COVID 19.

Even those that allowed had put several clauses, one such clause was, that maids should bring in test results to show that they are not COVID positive.

Also Read: Societies now demand COVID test reports of maids

The letter issued on Friday reads, “In the wake of COVI 19, the instructions issued by the government from time to time never barred domestic workers and drivers from entering the premises of housing societies for work.”

It further states, “However, some cooperative housing societies are restricting access of maids and drivers. Accordingly, the government has observed that the office bearers of cooperative housing societies are preparing regulations contrary to the directives of the government.”

The letter has asked cooperatives commissioner to inform all societies to follow the rules laid down by the government regarding entry of maids and drivers.

Even Maharashtra Societies Welfare Association (MahaSeWa), a body comprising of housing societies had earlier concluded that Managing Committees had no right to stop a maid to come and work.

Also Read: Managing Committee has no right to stop any maid

The maids union on the demand of some societies asking COVID test results from them had asked whether their employers will do the same.

Babli Rawat, General Secretary of Domestic Workers Federation, on the move of societies barring maids had then said, “This disease came from the rich people who travelled to foreign countries, and then it got transmitted in slums and other areas.”

Maids had asked why were the poor being punished for a disease brought in by the rich on maids not being allowed by housing societies.

Maids are essential in many households, especially those where senior citizens reside as they are dependent on them for cooking food and cleaning of the house.

This new letter from the government will cheer up many of those who were not pleased by the rules made by housing societies.

Also Read: Maids ask, will employers show their COVID reports?

The post Housing society cannot stop maids, drivers: State Govt appeared first on Square Feat India.

By Varun Singh

A major debate on whether maids be allowed or not in housing societies has taken centre stage,

Many Managing Committees across the city decided to ban maids, some asked them to get COVID 19 test reports.

Maid union countered this by asking whether employers will show their COVID 19 reports to maids?

Also Read: Maids ask, will employers show their COVID reports?

The debate reached the doors of Maharashtra Societies Welfare Association (MahaSeWa), a body comprising of housing societies.

MahaSeWa discussed the issue during a webinar and came to the conclusion that, Managing Committees has got no right to stop a maid or a domestic help to come and work.

CA. Ramesh Prabhu, Chairman (MahaSewa) said that when the lockdown happened from March 24, onwards, the collectors from the respective districts and District Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies issued notification on March 26, stating that no outsiders should be allowed inside the cooperative society this included house maids, electrician, plumbers, drivers and other support staff etc.

Discussing the issue, whether Managing Committee should allow the maid servant, give permission to finish the renovation work or allow member for tenant shifting, Prabhu relied on the Guidelines framed by Government of Maharashtra dated May 31, 2020 and interpreted as follows.

A) Sub-Clause (ii) of Clause 6 of the order says that Activities related to self-employed people like plumbers, electricians, pest-control and technicians with social distancing norms and usage of masks and sanitization are allowed. 

B) All activities, which are not in the clause 8 of the order and which are not explicitly prohibited or banned, shall continue to be permitted with following conditions. 

a. No permission is needed from any govt./authorities for permitted activities 

After examining the above two clauses Prabhu says that it can be concluded that; 

1. Maid servants / domestic helps are “Self Employed” and are not explicitly prohibited or banned shall continue to be permitted without any permission form any govt. authorities. 

2. Similarly, renovation of flats and shifting of tenant are not explicitly prohibited or banned shall continue to be permitted without any permission form any govt. authorities. 

Prabhu says, “Hence, Managing Committee has no right to stop any maid servant / domestic help / worker for shifting / delivery by milkman or workers coming for renovation. It was also clarified that it is not legal to impose any levy any fine or penalty on member in case of violation of any guidelines.”

According to Prabhu, it is the responsibility of the society to adopt standard operating procedure to prevent the spread of COVID 19.

He also clarified that the Managing Committee not only have right but also responsibility to report cases if they find any one coming from Containment Zone or they show symptoms of COVID 19. 

The post Managing Committee has no right to stop any maid appeared first on Square Feat India.

By Varun Singh

If one resides in a metro city like Mumbai, then the person knows the importance of a maid.

However, in the wake of Coronavirus, many housing societies have shut their gates for the maids.

Many housing societies have even asked their maids to get COVID 19 test done and show the reports that they are negative.

Only then are they shall allow maids to work at their societies.

This has upset the maids, not that they feel asking report is wrong, but the way they are being treated is what they feel is wrong.

They have a question to the housing societies, and to their employers in regards to the COVID 19 test reports.

“We are ready to show our test reports, are you going to show test reports of every individual at the home where we will work?” They say what if the employers or any of the members at the home they work are infected?

Babli Rawat, General Secretary of Domestic Workers Federation has called the move by most of the housing societies as discriminatory.

“Many societies want maids to come to work, bring their test reports and stay back at their place. What about the member of those homes, are they going to test everyday and show report when they return from office or outside?” asked Rawat.

According to Rawat, the poor are being troubled for something they are not even remotely responsible for.

“This disease came from the rich people who travelled to foreign countries, and then it got transmitted in slums and other areas. The maids are not even allowed to work in societies they are being returned from gate these days this is bad,” she said.

Most maids in metro cities don’t work at one house, to run their home they work at multiple households throughout the day. Thus Rawat says staying at one home is neither possible nor economically feasible.

Many housing societies have asked their domestic workers to not report to work till June 30. Maharashtra has imposed a lockdown in the state till then.

Also Read: Societies now demand COVID test reports of maids

The post Maids ask, will employers show their COVID reports? appeared first on Square Feat India.

By Varun Singh

Housing societies are coming up with new clauses to counter COVID 19. Many societies in Mumbai have barred from using services of maid.

But those which are allowing have rules laid down. A Worli society sent all its members a two page do’s and don’ts.

One of the clauses says, “Members desiring of bringing in full time maid may do so, provided they obtain a negative COVID test report. In the absence of a test report, the concerned member’s family and the servant maid would have to observe a 14-day quarantine program.”

Many societies has barred entry for maids who visit on a daily basis to come to work.

Meanwhile, certain societies have allowed maids. A housing society in Colaba has allowed maid to report to work. Before that they got their COVID test reports.

Hoshang Jokhi, a Colaba resident said, “Our building was sanitized twice, during the lockdown. First time it was carried out as maids who were coming initially were from areas where there were COVID positive cases.”

Following this, the society then carried out a second sanitization after a case was reported within the society,

Jokhi says, “After that each and every maid in my building were told to do a COVID test and get reports which was seen by tenants whom thy were visiting.”

Two different housing societies based out of Kalina and Mulund decided that they won’t allow maids till June 30. In Maharashtra the lockdown has been extended till June 30.

Also Read: Staff to report once a week or face pay cut: Maha Govt

Several societies have also barred maids from coming to work citing old people and infants.

A member of a Thane based housing society said, “Some people want that maid be allowed, but then in meeting society has said no.” This society has many senior citizens residing.

What does the law says?

According to Adv Vinod Sampat, in most of the properties society is not the owner. “There is almost in all cases no meeting of general body authorising managing committee to ask for COVID tests. In my opinion it is an act of abuse of power. It is not known under what provisions of law such documents can be asked by society,” he said.

Many societies are also barring visit by friends and relatives. Sampat says, “In one case at Ghatkopar East even brother was not allowed to visit. They forced the member to go for quarentine in a hospital. They did not accept his request to be quarantined at house stating that it can effect health of members.”

Though many residents have come in support of societies imposing an entry ban or COVID test report for maids during these times.

Prateek Oberoi a resident of Kalina said, “Domestic help are almost essential services. At least for the stranded senior citizens. That said- societies and gated communities are correct in restrictions given the relatively higher number of cases in slums maybe. Some are conducting test to allow domestic helps in and some are requesting members to permanently station domestic help. On hindsight it’s a good period to probably get more self reliant and self efficient.”

Also Read: Back after a brush with COVID 19.

The post Societies now demand COVID test reports of maids appeared first on Square Feat India.