The Object:
Wages are all remuneration payable to a person employed in respect of his employment or of the work done in such employment. Wages includes house rent allowance but does not include any house accommodation, amenity, P.F. etc., T.A. and other expenses.
The object of this act is to provide for fixing and revision of minimum rates of wages in scheduled employments with a view to achieve the object of doing social justice to the workers employed in the scheduled employments.
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ADVERTISEMENTS:
Fixation or Revision of Minimum Rates of Wages:
The minimum rates of wages may be fixed or revised for time work, piece work and for work done overtime, for different scheduled employments, different classes of work in the same scheduled employment, adults, adolescents, children and apprentices and for different localities.
The Act is being implemented by the Central and State Governments, and as such both are empowered to frame rules. In the text references only to rules of Central Government are made.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Minimum rate of the wages fixed or revised consists of the following:
(i) A basic rate of wages and a special allowance viz. cost of living allowance;
(ii) A basic rate of wages with or without cost of living allowance and cash value of concession for supplies of essential commodities;
(iii) An all inclusive rate, i.e., basic rate, cost of living allowance and cash value of concessions.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Wages must be paid in Cash or Kind:
Wages shall be paid in cash, however, if there is a custom to pay a part or the whole of wages in kind, the Government may authorise payment either wholly or partly in kind on being satisfied that the supply of essential commodities is being done to the worker as per the real object of the Act.
Manner and Procedure of Fixing and Revising Minimum Rates of Wages:
For the fixation of minimum wages, the employment must have been in schedule originally 01 added to the schedule by a notification under Section 27 of the Act. The Govt. may fix or revise the minimum wages either by committee procedure or by notification procedure.