Bonus calculation ceiling revised from April 2014 – Arrears of bonus likely!

Bonus calculation ceiling revised from April 2014 – Arrears of bonus likely!

LS passes Bonus Bill; benefits to accrue from April 2014

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill allowing doubling of wage ceiling for calculating bonus to Rs 7,000 per month for factory workers with establishments with 20 or more workers, with the benefits being applicable retrospectively from April 2014.

The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015, was passed by a voice vote, with some members objecting to the raising of eligibility limit for payment of bonus from a salary of Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 21,000.

Replying to a debate on the legislation, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said the Government has ensured that the interest of workers are protected and there is no infringement on their justifys.

“Because of Bihar Elections this bill got delayed… The Prime Minister spoke to me and asked why should the benefits of this Act should accrue to workers from 2015. It should be made available from the April 2014,” he said while moving an official amendment to the Bill.

The official amendment provides that the benefits of the Act would be deemed to have come into force on April 1, 2014, instead of April 1, 2015.

Dattatreya said the Ministry has held 21 tripartite meetings with all central trade unions while arriving at a decision.

The Bill provides for enhancing monthly bonus calculation ceiling to Rs 7,000 per month from the existing Rs 3,500.

It also seeks to enhance the eligibility limit for payment of bonus from Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 21,000 per month.

“The Government’s paramount intention is to safeguard the interest of workers… There is no infringement of workers’ justifys and whatever the government does will be in the interest of workers,” Dattatreya said.

After the bill was passed, Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, who was in the Chair, said the government should be congratulated for bringing the measure as also for effecting the benefits retrospectively.

Source: DDI News

Lok Sabha during next week will take up The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015 – PIB Report

Lok Sabha during next week will take up The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015 – PIB Report

Press Information Bureau 

Government of India

Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs

20-December-2015 11:39 IST

As Winter session enters final lap, Rajya Sabha to take up some pending Bills

18 Bills with allotted discussion time of over 43 hours on unfinished agenda for Rajya Sabha

Upper House to discuss role of Arunachal Pradesh, price rise

Lower House to take up Payment of Bonus and National Waterways Bills

12 Bills passed and 6 introduced in Lok Sabha during this session so far; 1-0 in Rajya Sabha

With only 3 sittings left next week for the current Winter session of Parliament and hardly any legislative business transacted in Rajya Sabha so far, the All Party meeting convened by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha on Friday this week raised the prospects of passage of some of the pending Bills in the Upper House during the remainder of this session.

A total of 18 Bills for which the Business Advisory Committee of Rajya Sabha has allotted a total of 43.50 hours for discussion is on the unfinished agenda of the House. Of these, the House is likely to take up The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Bill, 2015, The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Appropriation Bills pertaining to Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for 2015-16 and Excess Demands for Grants (General) for 2012-13, all passed by the Lok Sabha during this session and The Whistle Blower Protection (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill,2015, as passed by the Lok Sabha earlier and The Child Labour (Protection and Regulation) Amendment Bill,2012, on which the Standing Committee presented its Report in December,2013.

Rajya Sabha is also likely to discuss next week the role of Governor of Arunachal Pradesh as agreed to by the Government at the All Party Meeting besides growing intolerance endangering the unity and diversity of the country and prices of essential commodities and food grains.

Lok Sabha during next week will take up The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill,2015 and The National Waterways (Amendment) Bill,2015 for which discussion time of 2 and 3 hours respectively has been allotted.

Besides, the Lower House will take up short duration discussion on the situation in Nepal and the State of Indo-Nepal relations and resume discussion on Sustainable Development Goals, which was part discussed during the last session.

Work done during Winter session so far

During the current Winter session that commenced on November 26th, 12 Bills have been passed by Lok Sabha while 6 new Bills have been introduced.

Bills Passed were : The Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Bureau of Indian Standards Bill,2015, The High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill,2015, The Indian Trustees(Amendment) Bill,2015, The Industries (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill,2015, The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill,2015, Discussion and Voting on Supplementary Demands and Excess Demands for Grants and the related Appropriation Bills, The Sugar Cess (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Bill,2015 and The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill,2015.

All the 6 new Bills introduced relating to arbitration and conciliation, commercial jurisdiction of High Courts, atomic energy, payment of bonus to workers, industries and sugar cess were passed by the Lok Sabha.

Lower House held two day special discussion on commitment to the Constitution the occasion of 125th Birth anniversary of Dr.BR Ambedkar besides taking up issues of intolerance, floods in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, drought situation in the country and price rise.

Three suo-moto statements were made in the house by the concerned ministers regarding the visit of External Affairs Minister to Islamabad, initiatives relating to road transport and highways for regional connectivity with focus on North-East and climate change.

On the other hand, Rajya Sabha passed only Bill pertaining to Negotiable instruments while no new Bills were introduced in the House during the ongoing winter session so far.

The Upper House discussed commitment to the Constitution, floods in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and Indo-Nepal relations. External Affairs Minister made a suo-moto statement on her visit to Islamabad.

Central Govt to propose higher ceiling limits for payment of Bonus

Central Govt to propose higher ceiling limits for payment of Bonus 

Changes under Bonus Act

Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (IC) for Ministry Labour and Employment in reply to a question in Lok Sabha today stated that there is a proposal to increase the eligibility limit and calculation ceiling under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965.

The minimum wage in the country may not be comparable to those of developed countries owing to differences in exchange rates, purchasing power parity of local currencies, etc. Also under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, both Central and State Governments are appropriate Governments to fix, review and revise the minimum wages of the workers employed in the scheduled employment under their respective jurisdictions. As regards minimum wages in States, there is disparity due to variations in socio-economic and agro-climatic conditions, income, prices of essential commodities, paying capacity, productivity and local conditions. However, as per the available information, a statement showing the range of rates of minimum wages in all the States/Union Territories is enlisted here.

Category wise Range of Minimum Rates of Wages in All States as on 01.12.2015.

* Data is yet to be received. Figures indicate rates of wages as on 31.12.2013

The minimum wages shown for unskilled category for the state of Assam and West Bengal do not include the rates for Tea plantation. However, the rate of Tea Plantation in Tamil Nadu and Kerala are higher than the minimum for unskilled category.

Source: PIB News

Bonus orders - Grant of ad-hoc bonus for 30 days to the Group ‘C’ & `D’ RPF/RPSF personnel for the financial year 2014-2015

Bonus orders for RPF/RPSF personnel in Railways

Grant of ad-hoc bonus for 30 days to the Group ‘C’ & ‘D’ RPF/RPSF personnel for the financial year 2014-2015

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(RAILWAY BOARD)

RBE No.140/2015

No.E(P&A)II-2015/Bonus-1

New Delhi, Dated 02/11/2015

The General Managers/CAOs (R),

All Indian Railways & Production Units,

(As per mailing list)

Subject: Grant of ad-hoc bonus for 30 days to the Group ‘C’ & `D’ RPF/RPSF personnel for the financial year 2014-2015

The President is pleased to decide that all Group ‘C’ & ‘D’ RPF/RPSF personnel, may be granted ad-hoc bonus equivalent to 30 (thirty) days emoluments for the financial year 2014-2015, without any eligibility wage ceiling. The calculation ceiling of Rs.3500/- will remain unchanged.

2. The benefit will be admissible subject to the following terms and conditions:-

a) Only those Group ‘C’ & ‘D’ RPF/RPSF personnel who were in service on 31.3.2015 and have rendered at least six months of continuous service during the year 2014-2015 will be eligible for payment under these orders. Pro-rata payment will be admissible to the eligible personnel for period of continuous service during the year ranging from six months to a full year, the eligibility period being taken in terms of number of months of service (rounded to the nearest number of months).

b) The quantum of ad-hoc bonus will be worked out on the basis of average emoluments/calculation ceiling whichever is lower. To calculate ad-hoc bonus for one day, the average emoluments in a year will be divided by 30.4 (average number of days in a month). This will thereafter be multiplied by the number of days of bonus granted. To illustrate, taking the calculation ceiling of Rs.3500/-(where actual average emoluments exceed Rs.3500), ad-hoc bonus for thirty days would work out to Rs.3500×30/30.4 = Rs.3453.95 (rounded off to Rs.3454/).

c) All payments under these orders will be rounded off to the nearest rupee.

d) In the matter where the aforesaid provisions are silent, clarificatory orders issued vide this Ministry’s letter No.E(P&A)II-88/Bonus-3 dated 29.12.1988, as amended from time to time, would hold good.

e) All the Group ‘C’ & ‘D’ RPF/RPSF personnel, regardless of whether they are in uniform or out of uniform and regardless of place of their posting, shall be eligible only for ad-hoc bonus in terms of these orders.

3. This issues with the concurrence of the Finance Directorate of the Ministry of Railways.

Sd/-

(Salim. Md. Ahmed)

Deputy Director/E(P&A)-II

Railway Board.

Authority: http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/

Bonus orders 2015 – Ad-hoc Bonus for Rajasthan Government Employees

Bonus orders 2015 – Ad-hoc Bonus for Rajasthan Govt Employees

Following the Central Government, the State Government of Rajasthan has declared ad-hoc for its employees a head of Deepavali festival. The Finance Department issued orders for granting ad-hoc bonus equivalent to 30 days emoluments at the maximum ceiling of 3500.

GOVERNMENT OF RAJASTHAN

FINANCE DEPARTMENT

(RULES DIVISION)

No.: F.6(5)FD(Rules)/2009

Jaipur, Dated : 29.10.2015

ORDER

Subject:- Grant of ad-hoc bonus to State Government employees for the financial year 2014-15.

The matter relating to grant of ad-hoc bonus for the financial year 2014-15 to State Government employees has been considered and the Governor is pleased to order that the State Government employees may be granted ad-hoc bonus equivalent to 30 days emoluments for the financial year 2014-15 on the following terms and conditions:

(I) Government Servants who were in service on 31-03-2015 and continuing in service on 1st April 2015 and drawing pay in Grade Pay of Rs.4800 or less (excluding officers of State Services) are entitled for ad-hoc bonus.

(II) For drawing ad-hoc bonus Government employee must have rendered at least six months of continuous service during the year 2014-15. Ad-hoc bonus equal to 30 days emoluments will be admissible to eligible employees who have rendered continuous twelve month service during the year 2014-15. Pro-rata payment will be admissible for continuous service from six months to twelve months. The eligibility period shall be taken in terms of number of months or service rounded to the nearest number of months. Rounding to the nearest number of months will, however, not be permissible for service of less than six months.

(III) The amount of ad-hoc bonus payable to the eligible employees for the financial year 2014-15 will be computed on the basis of actual emoluments as on 31st March 2015 and for the purpose of calculation of ad-hoc bonus the maximum amount of emoluments will be restricted to Rs,3500/- per month.

(IV) The term ’emoluments’ occurring in this order will include basic pay, personal pay, deputation allowance and dearness allowance but will not include other allowances such as house rent allowance, compensatory (city) allowance etc.

(V) The amount of ad-hoc bonus payable shall be computed assuming the month of 31 days.

(VI) The amount of ad-hoc bonus payable will be rounded off to the nearest rupee.

It is further clarified that: –

(a) Except in the case of extra-ordinary leave (leave without pay), the period of leave of other kinds will be included for the purpose of working out eligibility period. The period of extra-ordinary leave (leave without pay) will be excluded from eligibility period but will not count as break in service for the purpose of ad-hoc bonus. In case a Government servant is on leave on 31-03-2015 the emoluments last drawn immediately before proceeding on leave shall be taken into account for the purpose of eligibility and calculation of ad-hoc bonus.

(b) The subsistence allowance given to an employee under suspension shall not be treated as emoluments. Such an employee will become eligible for the benefit of ad- hoc bonus if he is re-instated with benefit of full emoluments for the period of suspension and in other cases such period will be excluded for the purpose of eligibility as in the case of employees on leave without pay. In case a Government servant is under suspension on 31-03-2015 no ad-hoc bonus for the year 2014-15 shall be given for the present. If he is reinstated later on, eligibility of the period under suspension for the purpose of ad-hoc bonus shall be decided on the lines indicated above.

(c)The employees who retired on superannuation or on invalidation on medical grounds or on voluntary retirement or died on or before 31st March 2015 will not be eligible for ad-hoc bonus.

(d) The eligibility of the re-employed Government servants for the purpose of ad-hoc bonus shall be determined on the basis of service rendered during the year 2014-15 after re-employment. The basic pay in respect of such persons shall mean basic pay fixed on re-employment or as increased thereafter and admissible on 31-03-2015 plus pension (including commuted part, if any).

(e) Employees who resigned from service on or before 31-03-2015 shall not be eligible for ad-hoc bonus under these orders.

(f) Employees engaged on part time / casual or on a daily wage or on contract basis will not be eligible for ad-hoc bonus.

(g) Employees appointed as probationer trainee on fixed remuneration shall not be eligible for ad-hoc bonus.

(1) Government servants who were on deputation on 31-03-2015 if have opted for deputation allowance in terms of this department order No. F.1(47)FD(Gr.2)/82 dated 27th June, 1989, as amended from time to time and are eligible for ad- hoc bonus under this order, shall be paid, the admissible amount of ad-hoc bonus by the borrowing organisation. The eligibility period shall include the continuous service rendered under the Government as also the period spent on deputation upto 31st March 2015. Similarly, Government servants who returned from deputation during the year 2014-15 shall be paid ad-hoc bonus by the Government which may be calculated on the basis of eligible and continuous service rendered under the borrowing organisation and the Government.

(2) In the case of Government servants who were on deputation to Public Sector Undertakings, Cooperative Societies, Autonomous Bodies etc. and who have opted for deputation allowance in terms of this department order No.F.1(47)FD(Gr.2)/82 dated 27th June, 1989, as amended from time to time and are eligible for ad-hoc bonus under this order, out of the amount of bonus paid under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 by the aforesaid organisation the

amount equal to the amount of ad-hoc bonus admissible under this order shall be retained by the Government servants and the residual amount shall be deposited in the Government account.

(3) Government servants on deputation who have opted for bonus and / or ex- gratia payable to the employees of the borrowing organisation in terms of this department order referred to above will be entitled to ad-hoc bonus equal to an amount by which, the bonus and / or ex-gratia admissible as per order of the borrowing organisation falls short of the total of (a) the deputation allowance which would have been admissible and (b) the ad-hoc bonus admissible under this order.

(4) In the case of Government servants belonging to the Cooperative Department and on deputation to Cooperative Institutions registered under the Rajasthan Cooperative Societies Act, 1965 whose terms of deputation are governed by the Cooperative Department Order No. F. 18 (75) Coop. 176 dated 13.07.1976 as amended from time to time, ad-hoc bonus, equal to an amount by which the bonus/ex-gratia paid/payable as per terms of deputation falls short the total of (a) 2.5% of basic pay subject to Rs.600/- per month drawn during the year 2014-15 and (b) the amount of ad-hoc bonus admissible under this order shall be payable by such borrowing Cooperative Institution.

(i) In cases where it is in the notice of Head of Office that the Government servant eligible for ad-hoc bonus on 31-03-2015 will definitely become ineligible for grant of ad-hoc bonus due to retrospective grant of pay in Grade Pay of Rs. 5400/- and above on promotion in State Services, only pro-rata ad-hoc bonus be permitted provided that the eligibility period is six months or more.

The payment of ad-hoc bonus, except to those Government servants who were on deputation on 31-03-2015, under these orders shall be made by the office in which an employee is posted on the date of issue of this order and it will be chargeable to the Budget Head to which the pay and allowances of the employees are charged.

This order shall also be applicable to the employees of the Zila Parishads & Panchayat Samities and the Work-Charged employees who are drawing pay in the pay scales prescribed for them.

By Order of the Governor

(Siddharth Mahajan)

Special Secretary, Finance (budget)

Authority: http://finance.rajasthan.gov.in/