Uniform Allowance - If any Govt guideline on this uniform matter (contract labour, psara act or any other)?

Sir,

I am currently working with a DGR registered security agency. According to the DGR wage structure, there is a column for Uniform allowance at 5% of the basic salary. My question is, who is supposed to receive this amount? Should it stay with the agency, or should it be paid to the guard directly? The agency provides uniforms to the guards. Please advise on the appropriate steps to take in this situation. Additionally, if there are any government guidelines regarding uniform matters (such as the Contract Labour Act, PSARA Act, or any other relevant regulations), please share them.

Thank you,
Akshay

Hi,

Uniform allowance is a component of the wage structure. Any allowance, by whatever name called, granted to employees to meet the expenditure incurred on the purchase or maintenance of a uniform for wear during the performance of duties in an office.

Sir,

That is okay, but there is one sentence in my post stating that the agency is providing them with uniforms. What should I do in this case?

Akshay

Please ensure that you give the full form of the abbreviations rather than assume everyone knows.
I have no idea what DGR is.

I guess that the structure you're talking about is the negotiation of the amount payable by the factory to the security agency. In that case, the allowance of 5% is given to the contractor to be able to pay the cost of the uniform for the staff.

PSARA act requires that the employer pays the cost of the uniform or provides it for free. It has nothing to do with the allowances in the salary structure, which is meant for a different purpose, mainly to reduce the amount of statutory dues.

So, strictly speaking, this money goes to the agency and not to the security guards.

Sir,

DGR - Directorate General Resettlement, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (Ministry of Defence).

I have also uploaded the wage structure of DGR for your review. Please note that when we have an approved dress code of PSARA, we provide the dress. In turn, the security agency will provide their agency dress as well. There is a charge of 5% of the basic pay in the DGR wage structure for this dress. My question is, who will receive this money for the dress provided - the agency or the guards?

The dress includes a shirt, pant, belt, cap, lathi, whistle, lanyard, socks, and shoes.

Thank you,
Akshay

First, the notification/circular is the guidelines for tendering. That means it is the amount that the agency registered under DGR will put in tenders they are putting in anywhere. It is not the amount that will be paid to the security guards, which will be as per minimum wages, State or Central, as applicable.

What perks and allowances the agency will give in addition are not the concern of DGR. Uniform is required to be provided by law (PSARA), and therefore the cost of the same is added to the tender amount in the circular.

Again, I will clarify, this is not the amount that is to be paid to the employee, but the amount that the agency should charge in any tender or negotiation that it enters into.

Sir (Saswata Banerjee),

Thank you a lot for your input. I share the same sentiment and have already paid the DGR wages to the guards, deducting the uniform allowance (5% of basic). However, the principal employer remains unconvinced and has directed us to pay that amount to the guards. As there seems to be no alternative, the uniform allowance has been paid to the guards. Now, the principal employer is requesting any government guidelines, specifically related to uniform matters, that indicate we should deduct the dress allowance.

If there are any guidelines on uniform allowance from any government department, please share them. Thank you.

Akshay