Governments urged to build comprehensive WFH policies

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, governments must build comprehensive work-from-home (WFH) policies, said Indian union labour secretary Apurva Chandra, addressing the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). 

“As member countries of ILO, committed to promoting rights at work, encouraging decent employment opportunities and enhancing social protection, governments in consultation with national workers’ and employers’ representatives must seek to build comprehensive WFH policies,” he said, reports Financial Express. 

He also noted the role of ILO in “devising flexible standards that support progressive realisation of rights of gig and platform workers in a phased manner”.

READ: WFH as default to stop COVID-19 in India, says industry body

The ILO can also consider awarding some flexibility in its conventions to suit the circumstances of its member countries, he said, which “will perhaps improve the number of ratifications by member countries”.

Earlier in June, the government issued an advisory to encourage WFH for all nursing mothers for at least a year, on the conditions that the mother is working in such a job where WFH is possible and both