To implement social compliance in an apparel industry needs to follow
couple of rules which are:
a. Licenses & Permissions:
Following licenses and permission must be available in the factory:
Ø Valid
factory license.
Ø Approved
Building plan by the Government Authority.
Ø Approved
Building plan for extension of Building.
Ø Fire
License (Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense Ordinance 1959).
Ø Boiler
License (The Boiler Act 1923, and The Boiler Rules 1928).
Ø Boiler
Attendant competency certificate.
Ø Environment
License.
b. Documentation:
Documents must be available at factory for verification are as follows:
Ø Drinking
water test report (Written safe drinking water).
Ø Lab
test report of waste water.
Ø Personal
file.
Ø Attendance
card.
Ø Monthly
salary/wages sheet (Including all payment).
Ø Broken
needle record procedure.
Ø Maintenance/
Service Contract letter.
Ø Maintenance
records of all machines.
Ø Maintenance records of Boiler, Compressor and
Generator.
Ø Accident
record.
Ø Daily
medical treatment record.
Ø First
aid training record.
Ø First
aid team members list.
Ø Fire
fighting training record.
Ø Fire
fighting team list.
Ø Fire
drill record.
Ø Personal
Protective Equipment (P.P.E) training record.
Ø M.S.D.S.
training record.
Ø Safety
policy.
Ø Company
policy.
c. Compliance Representative:
The factory must engage or appoint one compliance manager or officer, who will
regularly monitor current information on the changes of existing local and
national laws and regulations, which will immediately incorporate into the facility
by informing to the appropriate management.
He
must be in charge of the implementation and maintenance of all matters
concerning compliance and he must have no additional duty.
Ø
Recruitment
procedure:
The management must totally
discourage child labor, forced labor, any type of discrimination ( direct or
indirect) against any person on the ground of race, culture, values, religion,
color, nationality, age, gender and marital status in the aspect of recruitment
and selection. The management must use
the following procedure at the time of selection and placement of new workers:
§ Advertising
for the vacant position on notice board and/or in the newspaper.
§ Short
listing of the candidates based on education, qualification, and experience.
§ Conducting
interview and efficiency tests.
§ Interview
rating and candidate selection.
§ Age
verification form educational certificate/local administration/registered
medical practitioner.
§ Issuance
of appointment letter along with breakup of wages and entitled benefits and the
written handbook on workers rights, privilege, benefits and obligation. All
copies are provided with acknowledgement of receipt.
§ Collection
of joining report.
§ Briefing
about workers package entitlement and benefits
§ Issuance
of job confirmation/extension letter depending of performance.
Establishment of personal file
with the following necessary documents:
§ Bio-data
with photo.
§ Age
proof document.
§ Appointment
or Contract letter with receiving copy by the worker.
§ Copy
of instruction to worker about personal protective Equipment. (Form example
mask, metal gloves, safety guard on sewing equipment etc).
§ Leave
record.
In case initially a worker is
employed with 3 months probation period and based on the performance in these 3
months, the worker is either confirmed or his/her probation may be extended for
another 3 months or he/she may be terminated.
1.
No
Forced Or Compulsory Labor:
The factory must not use any
forced labor in the form of prison labor, indentured labor, and blended labor o
otherwise which is prohibited as per law of the land.
Late payments of wages and
overtime will be accounted as forced labor.
2.
No
Child Labor:
The company must not appoint
Child Labor in accordance with ILO Convention 138 & Recommendation 146 and
also in accordance with Bangladesh
No person irrespective of male
and female gender, who has not completed minimum 18 years of age are not
allowed to be recruited and employed for nature of job.
The company must maintain
documentation “Certificate of Fitness” for each worker to be employed, that
verifies the workers age and fitness. The certificate must be issued by the
registered doctor and maintained in the individual personal file accompanied
with a photo.
3.
No
Harassment Or Abuse:
The company will ensure that no
employee shall be subjected to any physical, sexual, psychological or verbal
harassment or abuse.
Example:-
Verbal abuse: Chronic shouting or use of insulting or offensive
language.
Verbal harassment: Chronic use of implied or direct threats.
Psychological harassment: Humiliating or intimidating verbal or
non-verbal behavior including throwing of objects
Sexual harassment: unwelcome sexual advances, request of sexual
favors and all other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
Physical abuse: Includes any physical contact with the intent to
injure or intimidate (including throwing of objects) and discomfort.
Over time and
calculation:
Overtime hours have to be voluntarily and to be compensated
with the following formula on top of the normal hour wages.
Overtime rate per hour= (Basic Salary/208) X 2
The company must ensure that deduction from wages are not
made for disciplinary purposes, and shall ensure that wages and benefits
composition are detailed clearly and regularly for workers have a guaranty the
minimum wage.
The company also needs to follow couple
of act which known as “Factory Act 1965”. The act which contains is:
1.
Definitions
2.
Health And Hygiene
3.
Safety
4.
Welfare
5.
Working Hours of Adults
6.
Leave And Holidays With Wages
7.
Special Provisions
8.
Penalties And Procedure
9.
Supplement
