'Social Security of Employees - A Collective Responsibility'

 

 Introduction:

Being a welfare state, India has accepted the duties of providing its inhabitants with numerous Social Security and Social Assistance services. The Directive Principles of the State Policy found in the Indian Constitution provide India's social security laws their power and spirit. Any social security measure's goal is to give people and families the assurance that a social or economic calamity won't lower their standard of living and quality of life. A worker works not only for financial gain but also for a sense of security and belonging at his place of employment.

The term "social security" is now commonly understood to refer to the protection that society offers to its members through a number of public policies against the economic and social hardship that would otherwise result from the cessation or significant reduction of earnings due to illness, pregnancy, workplace injuries, occupational diseases, unemployment, invalidity, old age, and death. An estimated 397 million people are employed in India, yet only roughly 28 million of them are formally covered by social security. The remaining workers are employed in the unorganized sector. In India more than 50 crore workers are working in organized and unorganized sector and  social security plays an important role in influencing the labor productivity and off course quality of production.  It is often stated that production is more in the countries where the social security system works better and satisfactorily from pre-employment to death. But social security which facilitates the employees are far from adequate in all respects. Hence there is a need to relook for social security schemes. We should understand the concept of social security of employees in India and its comparison with other countries. We should also think about the social security laws prevailing in India and comparative  study of these laws with other developed countries, especially European countries. In India  we talk about social security, health security, old age security, and  about unemployment insurance. These are the main areas where there is a need for social security schemes. Our emphasis should be on the mechanism for health security of employees and deficiencies in the Indian health security system. Organizations should also emphasize upon the social protection which is to be provided during the earning  incapacity  for both short term and long term. Same time emphasis should also be given to old age retirement benefits and of course a strong  mechanism is also needed to overcome shortcomings. The other important employee's social security provision against unemployment should also be taken into consideration. These are the concerned areas related to the social security of employees in India. Social security of employees guarantees better productivity  and good retention rate of employees. Expedite disposal of industrial disputes may also be the other important mechanism for effective social security for employees. The degree of trust and confidence among the working class would be impacted by the effective execution of Social Security Acts through institutional procedures. The delivery method for the execution of laws like the EPF & the ESI Act, the Minimum Wages Act, the Maternity Act, the Workmen's Compensation Act, and the Payment of Gratuity Act needs to be examined. The Minimum Wages Act of 1948 primarily established the wage policy, which is focused on delivering "need-based minimum wages." The Minimum Wages Act of 1948 sets the wages.

Conclusion:The Indian government has taken a few steps in this direction and as a result we could see the new labor codes. Finally the government has set to replace 29 existing labor laws with this new labor code, dealing with wages, social security, industrial relations and health and occupational safety with an  objective to simplify and consolidate the  complex Indian labor legislations. Nowadays not only the government but  organizations are also coming forward for the social security of employees because in the present scenario organizations understand the need for social security of employees. It is also important to note  that all social security schemes should be merged into universal schemes of social welfare to which employer and government should contribute. An employee should also participate in these social security schemes voluntarily and actively.

 

                        Prof. (Dr.) Ajay Kumar Tyagi

JEMTEC School of Law