The Governor of West Bengal, through the Labour Department, has issued a Notification dated 12th September, 2019 appealing all the employers and employees covered under the purview of Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 (as amended in 2015) to strictly adhere to certain guidelines to maintain industrial peace and harmony.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
- The rate of bonus payable in the current year will not be less than the rate of bonus paid to the employees in the previous year.
- All employees (including people who have been re-employed after retirement or employed through contractor) who have worked for more than 30 days in the current year will be paid an amount of bonus.
- Employees are requested to make payment of pending bonus from previous year along with the bonus of this year.
- All employees of IT Sector, Shops and Establishments, Hotels and Restaurants, security workers shall be included in the payment of bonus.
- The appeal is extended to employers’ organisations, every employer and employee in the State who are covered under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 (as amended in 2015) and also includes the public sector undertakings.
Further, the employers should pay bonus/ex gratia to the persons employed in the unorganized sector who are not covered by the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 (as amended in 2015).
All such bonus must be paid before the Durga Puja, 2019.
Source: Government of West Bengal, Labour Department