Vulnerable Workers -An Introduction
“Vulnerable workers” in the context of occupational health and safety refers to workers with an elevated risk of occupational injury or illness. (Refer www.iwh.on.ca)
They are often exploited by their employers and forced to work long hours for low pay, or to work in dangerous conditions. (Refer www.unison.org.uk )
Vulnerable workers may not know or understand their employment rights, or they may be afraid to challenge their employers when treated unfairly.
Vulnerable worker means any worker with an illness that increases their susceptibility to viral infection: immunosuppressed individuals , pregnant women, individuals affected by chronic degenerative diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, kidney diseases. (Refer www.lawinsider.com )
Vulnerable workers are employed in low-skilled, low-paid jobs with little job security.
Some groups of people are more likely to be treated unfairly than others.
For Example:
- Young workers
- Disabled people ( impaired hearing, vision impaired etc., )
- Lone workers
- New and Expectant mothers (Pregnant Worker
- Gig economy worker(Independent worker)
- Older workers
- Migrant workers (immigrants)
- Agency workers
- Temporary workers ( includes Short - tenure workers)
- Home Workers (Domestic Servants)
- New to Job workers ( New to Labour Markets)
- Apprentices ( e.g. Young Apprentices) (age less than 18 years)
- Pregnant workers (Expectant and Nursing mothers)
- Workers have language disabilities or for whom English is not a first language
- Workers from ethnic minorities
Vulnerable workers are employed in low-skilled, low-paid jobs with little job security.
--- - - - - - An older worker needs to earn their livelihood for their family , the money-minded people take undue advantage of it.
Vulnerable workers are exploited in various ways :
- Salary not given on time
- Unnecessary salary deduction made (i.e. due to small lateness, full day salary is deducted )
- Salary slip not provided
- Working hours not fixed ( Incoming time to be monitored but outgoing time will always be beyond the duty hours )
- job role not defined
- fixed job not defined
- Various management level will have control on a vulnerable workers (i.e. two or three managers are giving direct orders to do the personal work/task)
- Due to their fear of losing their job, they are exploited in many ways like No timely promotion ,
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