Revision of Minimum Rates of Wages for Employment in Hospitals and Nursing Homes (Other than Government and Employees State Insurance Hospitals and Dispensaries) under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948

What the notification governs

G.O. (2D) No. 24, Labour and Employment (J1), dated 2nd March 2018, was issued by the Labour and Employment Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. It revises the minimum rates of basic wages payable each month to employees in private hospitals and nursing homes across Tamil Nadu. Government hospitals and Employees' State Insurance hospitals and dispensaries are excluded.

The notification replaces the Labour and Employment Department notification published on 5th August 2009. The revised rates apply from the date of publication in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, which was 2nd March 2018.

Who is affected

G.O. (2D) No. 24 affects employers and employees in covered hospitals and nursing homes. The supplied schedule separates establishments by bed capacity, including:

• Nursing homes and hospitals with 1 to 25 beds.
• Hospitals with 26 to 50 beds.
• Hospitals with 51 to 100 beds.
• Hospitals with 101 to 150 beds.

Within each establishment size, employees are divided into technical medical or paramedical roles and non-technical office or general roles. Rates are then listed separately for Zones A, B and C.

Key provisions

The Labour and Employment Department schedule:

• Sets monthly basic wage rates for each listed role, group and zone.
• Covers medical roles such as junior medical officers, junior doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, radiographers, laboratory technicians and nursing assistants.
• Covers office and general roles such as financial officers, administrative managers, accountants, receptionists, store keepers, computer operators, drivers, cooks, security guards and housekeeping staff.
• Includes general categories for medical or paramedical unskilled employees and other unlisted categories of unskilled employees.
• Provides different rates according to hospital bed capacity and zone.

For example, in a 1 to 25 bed establishment, the listed monthly basic wage for a junior medical officer is Rs. 18,989 in Zone A, Rs. 18,755 in Zone B and Rs. 18,436 in Zone C. Employers must identify the applicable bed category, employee group and zone when using the schedule.

Relevance to property matters

G.O. (2D) No. 24 does not address land ownership, title, patta, registration, planning permission or land use. It may matter to a property owner, buyer or tenant only when the property is operated as a covered hospital or nursing home and employees are engaged there.