Government has no plans to appoint a regulator for overseeing labour conditions in BPO companies, Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes said on Wednesday.
"Since labour laws are already applicable to BPOs and are regulated accordingly, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has no proposal to appoint a regulator for BPO companies," he said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
Referring to newspaper reports about BPO employees facing stressful situation, he said the working conditions in business process outsourcing companies
are largely regulated by provisions of the Shops and Establishments Act of respective state governments.
The working hours of BPO employees are also governed by provisions of the said Act, Fernandes said. "The state governments, which are appropriate governments under various labour laws for BPOs, are legally vested with powers to deal with violations of labour laws," he said.
If specific complaints were received about employees being made to work for longer hours leading to stress, the matter would be taken up with appropriate authorities, he said.