Can't give 28-day paid leaves to COVID infected workers: Noida MSMEs to government

The Uttar Pradesh government had recently announced 28-day paid leave for all COVID-infected employees and those who are under quarantine after coming in contact with another person. Employees need to present a mandatory medical certificate at the time of joining duty again in order to avail the benefit. 

However, the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in UP's Gautam Budh Nagar have expressed concerns about this order by the state government and said that it would not be possible for them to give this benefit to the workers as they are already bearing the brunt of the economic slowdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

According to Laghu Udyog Bharti (LUB), MSMEs are already contributing to ESI benefits for workers and have no bandwidth to bear salaries for absentees. “We are yet to recover from the impact of last year’s lockdown and are already bearing various expenses like ESI benefits for our employees. To impose a pay-out of 28 days for Covid-positive workers is unfair,” Manjula Mishra, president of LUB, told TOI.

In March 2020 as well,  the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration had ordered Any worker or employee infected with coronavirus and in isolation for treatment will get 28 days of paid leave from their employer across Noida and Greater Noida.