Dear Friend, your question "Is it mandatory to deduct the cost of food from the salary otherwise?" No, this does not fall under statutory law like EPF, etc.
Salary Calculation Considerations
When you work out the salary, it's better to:
a) Calculate the cost if food is provided. (Cost should be worked out)
- If the employee does not want to take the provided food, what would be the option?
- If the employee wants to take the food, what would be the occasional cost?
b) What accommodation would be provided to the employee in case they have to stay at a hotel?
Food Provision Options
For these questions:
1) Provide free food and prepare meals for the employees in the industry. In small industries, this is easy, and for big hotels/resorts, let them organize it to avoid food wastage by bringing everything under one umbrella.
2) If the salary heads are worked out, have a ration head/food & beverages/ and a fixed monthly amount so that providing food to the employee may not be necessary.
3) In industries, you can also provide a subsidy for food up to a certain extent, where you can deduct from the salary and compensate for the full bill from the organizational account.
Salary and Allowances in the Hotel Industry
All these fall under the category of Salary and Allowances in the hotel industry. Hospitality is the main category, so don't expect a concrete worksheet. You need to work with the financial department to provide cost-free food and adhere to industry standards.
Considering the issue will not affect the Net Pay, as you are making decisions separate from the income. Food Allowance is entirely different from the salary to the employee.
Furthermore, not all industrial work is equal, so you can address and resolve the issue accordingly.
Thank you.