Dear Umesh . Pl go through Factories Act ,Duties & Qualification of Welfare Officer ,Nicely given . Regards
From India, Mumbai
From India, Mumbai
Section 49 of the Factories Act, 1948, reads as follows:
Factories Act, 1948
49. Welfare officers
(1) In every factory wherein five hundred or more workers are ordinarily employed, the occupier shall employ in the factory such number of welfare officers as may be prescribed.
(2) The State Government may prescribe the duties, qualifications, and conditions of service of officers employed under sub-section (1).
So the responsibilities are to be read from the Delhi Factory Rules, presuming your factory to be located in Delhi. The provisions regarding Welfare Officer are given below; the duties are given in clause 5 thereof:
Rule provided under Section 49
76-A. Welfare Officers - (1) There shall be one Welfare Officer for factories employing between 500 to 2000 workers. Where the number of workers exceeds 2000, there shall be an additional Welfare Officer for every additional thousand workers or fraction thereof over 500.
(2) No person shall be eligible for appointment as a Welfare Officer unless he
(a) possesses a degree of a University recognized by the Chief Commissioner in this behalf;
(b) has obtained a Degree or Diploma in Social Science from an institution recognized by the Chief Commissioner in this behalf; and
(c) has adequate knowledge of the language spoken by the majority of the workers in the factory to which he is to be attached.
Provided that, in the case of a person who is acting as a Welfare Officer at the commencement of this rule, the Chief Commissioner may, subject to such conditions as he may specify, relax all or any of the aforesaid qualifications.
Provided further that the Chief Commissioner may relax the above qualifications if he is satisfied that the person is otherwise fully competent to discharge the duties.
(3) (a) The post of a Welfare Officer shall be advertised in at least two newspapers, one of which shall be in English, having a wide circulation in the State.
(b) The selection shall be made from among the candidates applying for the post by a Committee appointed by the Occupier of the Factories.
(c) The appointment, when made, shall be notified by the Occupier to the Chief Commissioner or such authority as the Chief Commissioner may specify for the purpose, giving full details of the qualifications, etc., of the officer appointed and the conditions of his service.
(4) (a) A Welfare Officer shall be given a status corresponding to the status of the other executive heads of the factory and shall be appointed at a minimum salary of Rs. 200.00 per month.
(b) The conditions of service of a Welfare Officer shall be the same as those of other members of the staff of corresponding status in the factory, provided that no punishment shall be inflicted on a Welfare Officer without obtaining the prior approval of the Chief Commissioner.
(5) The duties of a Welfare Officer shall be:
(i) to establish contacts and hold consultations with a view to maintaining harmonious relations between the factory management and workers.
(ii) to bring to the notice of the factory management the grievances of a worker or workers, with a view to securing expeditious redress and to act as a Liaison Officer between the management and labor.
(iii) to study and understand the point of view of labor to help the factory management shape and formulate labor policies and interpret these policies to the workers in a language understood by them;
(iv) to watch industrial relations with a view to using his influence in the event of a dispute arising between the factory management and workers and to bring about a settlement by persuasive efforts;
(v) to advise on the fulfillment by the management and the concerned departments of the factory of their obligations, statutory or otherwise, concerning the regulation of working hours, maternity benefits, medical care, compensation for injuries and sickness, and other welfare and social benefit measures;
(vi) to advise and assist the management in the fulfillment of its obligations, statutory or otherwise, concerning the prevention of personal injuries and maintaining a safe work environment in such factories where a Safety Officer is not required to be appointed under the enabling provisions under section 40B;
(vi-A) to promote relations between the concerned departments of the factory and workers likely to bring about productive efficiency as well as amelioration in the working conditions and to help the workers in their adjustment and adoption of their working environments;
(vii) to encourage the formation of works and Joint Production Committees, Safety-First and Welfare Committees, and to supervise their work;
(viii) to encourage provisions of amenities such as canteens, shelters for rest, creches, adequate latrine facilities, drinking water sickness and benevolent scheme payments, pension and superannuation funds, gratuity payments, granting of loans, and legal advice to workers;
(ix) to help the factory management in regulating the grant of leave with wages and explain to the workers the provisions relating to leave with wages and other leave privileges and to guide the workers in the matter of submission of applications for the grant of leave for regulating authorized absence;
(x) to advise on questions relating to the provisions of welfare facilities, such as housing facilities, foodstuffs, social and recreational facilities, sanitation, individual personnel problems, and education of children;
(xi) to advise the factory management on questions relating to the training of new starters, apprentices, workers on transfer and promotion, instructions and supervisors, supervise and control notice-boards and information bulletins to further education of workers and to encourage their attendance at Technical Institutes;
(xii) to suggest measures that will raise the standard of living of workers and promote their well-being in general.
(6) The Chief Commissioner may, by notification in the official Gazette, exempt any factory or class or description of factories from the operation of all or any of the provisions of this rule, subject to such conditions as may be specified in the said notifications.
(7) Welfare Officers not to deal with disciplinary cases or appear on behalf of the management against workers.
No Welfare Officer shall deal with any disciplinary case against a worker or appear before a Conciliation Officer or in a Court or Tribunal on behalf of the factory management against a worker or workers.
From India, Mumbai
Factories Act, 1948
49. Welfare officers
(1) In every factory wherein five hundred or more workers are ordinarily employed, the occupier shall employ in the factory such number of welfare officers as may be prescribed.
(2) The State Government may prescribe the duties, qualifications, and conditions of service of officers employed under sub-section (1).
So the responsibilities are to be read from the Delhi Factory Rules, presuming your factory to be located in Delhi. The provisions regarding Welfare Officer are given below; the duties are given in clause 5 thereof:
Rule provided under Section 49
76-A. Welfare Officers - (1) There shall be one Welfare Officer for factories employing between 500 to 2000 workers. Where the number of workers exceeds 2000, there shall be an additional Welfare Officer for every additional thousand workers or fraction thereof over 500.
(2) No person shall be eligible for appointment as a Welfare Officer unless he
(a) possesses a degree of a University recognized by the Chief Commissioner in this behalf;
(b) has obtained a Degree or Diploma in Social Science from an institution recognized by the Chief Commissioner in this behalf; and
(c) has adequate knowledge of the language spoken by the majority of the workers in the factory to which he is to be attached.
Provided that, in the case of a person who is acting as a Welfare Officer at the commencement of this rule, the Chief Commissioner may, subject to such conditions as he may specify, relax all or any of the aforesaid qualifications.
Provided further that the Chief Commissioner may relax the above qualifications if he is satisfied that the person is otherwise fully competent to discharge the duties.
(3) (a) The post of a Welfare Officer shall be advertised in at least two newspapers, one of which shall be in English, having a wide circulation in the State.
(b) The selection shall be made from among the candidates applying for the post by a Committee appointed by the Occupier of the Factories.
(c) The appointment, when made, shall be notified by the Occupier to the Chief Commissioner or such authority as the Chief Commissioner may specify for the purpose, giving full details of the qualifications, etc., of the officer appointed and the conditions of his service.
(4) (a) A Welfare Officer shall be given a status corresponding to the status of the other executive heads of the factory and shall be appointed at a minimum salary of Rs. 200.00 per month.
(b) The conditions of service of a Welfare Officer shall be the same as those of other members of the staff of corresponding status in the factory, provided that no punishment shall be inflicted on a Welfare Officer without obtaining the prior approval of the Chief Commissioner.
(5) The duties of a Welfare Officer shall be:
(i) to establish contacts and hold consultations with a view to maintaining harmonious relations between the factory management and workers.
(ii) to bring to the notice of the factory management the grievances of a worker or workers, with a view to securing expeditious redress and to act as a Liaison Officer between the management and labor.
(iii) to study and understand the point of view of labor to help the factory management shape and formulate labor policies and interpret these policies to the workers in a language understood by them;
(iv) to watch industrial relations with a view to using his influence in the event of a dispute arising between the factory management and workers and to bring about a settlement by persuasive efforts;
(v) to advise on the fulfillment by the management and the concerned departments of the factory of their obligations, statutory or otherwise, concerning the regulation of working hours, maternity benefits, medical care, compensation for injuries and sickness, and other welfare and social benefit measures;
(vi) to advise and assist the management in the fulfillment of its obligations, statutory or otherwise, concerning the prevention of personal injuries and maintaining a safe work environment in such factories where a Safety Officer is not required to be appointed under the enabling provisions under section 40B;
(vi-A) to promote relations between the concerned departments of the factory and workers likely to bring about productive efficiency as well as amelioration in the working conditions and to help the workers in their adjustment and adoption of their working environments;
(vii) to encourage the formation of works and Joint Production Committees, Safety-First and Welfare Committees, and to supervise their work;
(viii) to encourage provisions of amenities such as canteens, shelters for rest, creches, adequate latrine facilities, drinking water sickness and benevolent scheme payments, pension and superannuation funds, gratuity payments, granting of loans, and legal advice to workers;
(ix) to help the factory management in regulating the grant of leave with wages and explain to the workers the provisions relating to leave with wages and other leave privileges and to guide the workers in the matter of submission of applications for the grant of leave for regulating authorized absence;
(x) to advise on questions relating to the provisions of welfare facilities, such as housing facilities, foodstuffs, social and recreational facilities, sanitation, individual personnel problems, and education of children;
(xi) to advise the factory management on questions relating to the training of new starters, apprentices, workers on transfer and promotion, instructions and supervisors, supervise and control notice-boards and information bulletins to further education of workers and to encourage their attendance at Technical Institutes;
(xii) to suggest measures that will raise the standard of living of workers and promote their well-being in general.
(6) The Chief Commissioner may, by notification in the official Gazette, exempt any factory or class or description of factories from the operation of all or any of the provisions of this rule, subject to such conditions as may be specified in the said notifications.
(7) Welfare Officers not to deal with disciplinary cases or appear on behalf of the management against workers.
No Welfare Officer shall deal with any disciplinary case against a worker or appear before a Conciliation Officer or in a Court or Tribunal on behalf of the factory management against a worker or workers.
From India, Mumbai
Is there any special reason not to include the Welfare Officer in disciplinary issues? In Bangladesh, most of the welfare officers are involved in disciplinary cases.
Thank you,
A K M Abidur Rahman
Bangladesh
From Bangladesh, Dhaka
Thank you,
A K M Abidur Rahman
Bangladesh
From Bangladesh, Dhaka
Dear Abidur,
The welfare officer has to be employee-friendly and be an advisor to the factory management on employment issues. As such, the norms do not allow him to be part of disciplinary proceedings. He needs to be unbiased and not support anyone, in other words.
From India, Hyderabad
The welfare officer has to be employee-friendly and be an advisor to the factory management on employment issues. As such, the norms do not allow him to be part of disciplinary proceedings. He needs to be unbiased and not support anyone, in other words.
From India, Hyderabad
As the very job title implies, the Welfare Officer has to play the role of promoting the well-being of the employees, enhancing the goodness for the employees, promoting the interests of the employees, or serving the cause of the employees. In no way should they be inimical to the employees. Involvement in disciplinary issues or acting on behalf of management in conciliation, arbitration, or adjudication issues will erode the role of being 'employee-friendly.' It would result in a role reversal and is not provided for.
From India, Mumbai
From India, Mumbai
Dear friend
Section 72 in The Mines Rules, 1955
72. Welfare Officers.—1[
(1) For every mine wherein 500 or more persons are 2[ordinarily employed], the owner, agent or manager shall appoint a suitably qualified person as Welfare Officer, and where the number of persons so employed in a mine exceeds 2,500, such Welfare Officer shall be assisted by one suitably qualified additional Welfare Officer for every additional 2,000 persons or part thereof employed.]
(2) No person shall act as a Welfare Officer of a mine unless he possesses—
(a) a university degree;
(b) a degree or diploma in social science, 3[or social work] or labour welfare 2[recognised by the Government for the purpose of this rule], and preferably practical experience of handling labour problems in any industrial undertaking for at least three years; and
(c) a knowledge of the language of the district in which the mine is situated or the language understood by the majority of persons employed in the mine: Provided that in case of a person already in service as a Welfare Officer in a mine the above qualifications may, with the approval of the Chief Inspector, be relaxed. 4[(2A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (2), the Labour Officers included in the Central Pool under the provisions of the Labour Officers (Central Pool) Recruitment and Conditions of Service Rules, 1951, shall be eligible for appointment as a Welfare Officer in a mine.]
(3) Where by reason of temporary absence, illness or any other similar cause, the Welfare Officer is unable to perform his duties, the owner, agent or manager shall authorise in writing a person whom he considers competent, to act in his place: Provided that no such authority shall have effect for a period in excess of 30 days except with the previous consent of the Chief Inspector or Inspector. 2[(4) A written notice of every appointment, authorisation, discharge, dismissal, resignation or termination of service of every Welfare Officer and of the date thereof shall be sent by the owner, agent or manager to the Chief Inspector within seven days from the date of such appointment, authorisation, discharge, dismissal, resignation or termination of service.] 5[(5) The post of Welfare Officer shall be advertised in a newspaper having a wide circulation in the State.]
From India, Mumbai
Section 72 in The Mines Rules, 1955
72. Welfare Officers.—1[
(1) For every mine wherein 500 or more persons are 2[ordinarily employed], the owner, agent or manager shall appoint a suitably qualified person as Welfare Officer, and where the number of persons so employed in a mine exceeds 2,500, such Welfare Officer shall be assisted by one suitably qualified additional Welfare Officer for every additional 2,000 persons or part thereof employed.]
(2) No person shall act as a Welfare Officer of a mine unless he possesses—
(a) a university degree;
(b) a degree or diploma in social science, 3[or social work] or labour welfare 2[recognised by the Government for the purpose of this rule], and preferably practical experience of handling labour problems in any industrial undertaking for at least three years; and
(c) a knowledge of the language of the district in which the mine is situated or the language understood by the majority of persons employed in the mine: Provided that in case of a person already in service as a Welfare Officer in a mine the above qualifications may, with the approval of the Chief Inspector, be relaxed. 4[(2A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (2), the Labour Officers included in the Central Pool under the provisions of the Labour Officers (Central Pool) Recruitment and Conditions of Service Rules, 1951, shall be eligible for appointment as a Welfare Officer in a mine.]
(3) Where by reason of temporary absence, illness or any other similar cause, the Welfare Officer is unable to perform his duties, the owner, agent or manager shall authorise in writing a person whom he considers competent, to act in his place: Provided that no such authority shall have effect for a period in excess of 30 days except with the previous consent of the Chief Inspector or Inspector. 2[(4) A written notice of every appointment, authorisation, discharge, dismissal, resignation or termination of service of every Welfare Officer and of the date thereof shall be sent by the owner, agent or manager to the Chief Inspector within seven days from the date of such appointment, authorisation, discharge, dismissal, resignation or termination of service.] 5[(5) The post of Welfare Officer shall be advertised in a newspaper having a wide circulation in the State.]
From India, Mumbai
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