The Tamil Nadu government has tabled a Bill in the Legislative Assembly making it mandatory for establishments to provide seating facilities for employees.

Right to Sit

• The Right to Sit is aimed to benefit thousands of employees of large and small establishments, particularly those working in textile and jewelry showrooms.
• Persons employed in shops and establishments in the State are made to stand throughout their duty time resulting in varied health issues.
• The bill mandates for every premises of establishments to have suitable seating arrangements for all employees so that they may take advantage of any opportunity to sit in the course of their work.
• This would avoid the ‘on their toes’ situation throughout the working hours.

Inspired from Kerala

• A few years ago, workers of textile showrooms in Kerala had gone on a protest demanding the ‘Right to Sit’, prompting the government there to amend the Kerala Shops and Establishments Act in 2018.
• This in turn provided seating arrangements for them.

A move for women

• Most owners of shops and other retail outlets forbid women, the bulk of the shop workforce, to sit.
• Even leaning against a wall was punished. They have varicose veins and joint pain from standing.
• Toilet breaks were strictly limited. This has led to urinary infections, kidney problems.

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