Is It Right to Classify Our Engineers as Skilled? Seeking Clarity on Employee Categorization

I am working as an HR Manager in one of the leading engineering design consultancy companies. Our 50+ engineers are placed in various MNC companies for onsite projects in CAD, CAM, and CAE. Five of my team members are working in one MNC, with educational backgrounds in DME and ITI Draftsman. Their daily task involves converting existing drawings into CAD format using AutoCAD.

Clarification Needed on Employee Categorization

I am seeking clarification on whether these employees should be categorized as skilled or semiskilled. My client/principal employer is insisting on placing these engineers in the skilled category and paying PF on Basic+DA 7800+1624.

Please assist me in resolving this issue.

Regards,
R. Prashant.

Your principal employer is right. Keep them in the skilled category only.

These employees, DME & ITI, are working independently at the client's end, so they fall under the skilled category.

Regards,
Satish Akut

Satishji works under the guidance of the client's Senior. They are simply reproducing the existing drawings into a CAD format. Please let me know if you need any further assistance.

The qualified engineers with a diploma or engineers are covered as skilled and highly skilled, respectively, by virtue of their competency in the field, employed either by the principal employer or clients. They are eligible for wages in terms of Minimum Rates of Wages as applicable to the Engineering Industries in the State. Please refer to the recent rates of wages. If you are paying over and above the minimum rates specified, you are welcome. However, it should not be below the rates of minimum wages.

Regards,
Adoni Suguresh
Sr. Executive (Pers, Admin & Ind. Rels)
Retired Labour Laws Consultant

The job these people are doing is definitely not a semi-skilled job. Based on the nature of the job assigned to them and their qualifications, they deserve wages in the skilled or highly skilled category.

My employees are working on-site at the client's place. We work with all MNCs, and the agreement is for manpower on contract. I want to know if my client (Principal Employer) has the right to check my compliance and ask for any short payments in compliance.

Regards,
Prashant.

Client's Right to Verify Compliance

The client (Principal Employer) has the right to check compliance and request details of payments made to verify compliance.