Supervised movement, travel history documentation for domestic helpers returning to work

As the lockdown entered its fourth phase on Monday with considerable restrictions in non-containment zones, more condominiums are allowing the entry of domestic workers such as helpers, cooks and drivers. While some condominiums have asked residents to call domestic helpers on alternate days, others are accepting requests from only those keen on letting domestic helpers resume work in their households.

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At several places, people pushing for calling domestic helpers home are required to furnish information such as travel and health history of the domestic workers before they are allowed into the society premises to resume work.

At Fresco Apartments in Nirvana Country, residents seeking the services of domestic workers are required to fill a request form with information such as name, contact, addresses, travel and health history of the worker and the worker’s family. Once the request is approved, the name of the worker is added to a list against which the guard makes enquiries on a daily basis before a worker is let inside the condominium. After corroborating the details of the worker with the list, residents are required to come down and escort them to the respective flat. Workers are not allowed to travel alone in the lift. Similarly, residents are required to escort workers while leaving the flat. “We started allowing domestic helpers to come in from today (Monday). Residents who were interested in letting domestic helpers work were asked to fill a Google form and make certain declarations following which entry of domestic workers was allowed,” said Nilesh Tandon, president of the condominium’s resident welfare association (RWA).

The Retreat in South City-1 had allowed domestic helpers to work for senior citizens in the third phase of the lockdown even as only five or six residents opted for the choice. With the start of the fourth phase of the lockdown, the condominium has offered further relaxation and left it to the residents to call domestic helpers. “Not all residents, especially those with younger children, are open to the idea of letting domestic helpers work. However, for those who want the domestic helpers to work in their house, we have shared a three-page document seeking information about the workers,” said Abha Sharma, member of the condominium’s management committee. Residents are supposed to provide information about the health history, travel history of the domestic help, and confirm if the latter are coming from containment zones or not. Once the form is filled, it is submitted at the estate office that scrutinises the forms along with the security office.

So far, around 30 people have filled these forms, said Sharma. Domestic helpers who have a smartphone have also been requested to download Aarogya Setu mobile app. “Residents are responsible for the health of domestic helpers and have been asked to provide them with masks, sanitisers and other protective equipment,” said Sharma.

At DLF Westend Heights in Phase 5, domestic helps and cooks were allowed to enter the condominium on alternate days from Monday. Car cleaners and drivers, meanwhile, are allowed to come in daily but cannot enter the lobby or use the lift. The responsibility of verifying the travel and health history of the domestic helpers has been left up to the residents. “We are using a web application through which domestic helps are required to make an entry or mark their entry on a register. Domestic helps can come on alternate days. We are not sure what exact purpose this mechanism will serve though,” said Ritu Bhariok, a resident.

As many as 70 domestic helper joined work at Princeton Estate on Monday, even as the RWA awaits guidelines from the district administration. “We have allowed domestic helpers to work from today, but we will only issue an advisory to residents once we remain specific district orders on domestic workers,” said Satish Nangia, RWA president of Princeton Estate. Nangia said the complex now has a separate lift for domestic workers to satisfthose residents who were do not want domestic helpers to work in the society. “We are advising those employing domestic helpers to ensure that all workers do not stand in close proximity to each other in the society. We are also recording the movement of each domestic worker, in case such a database needs to be looked into the future,” said Nangia.