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Dear Reader, Another week draws to a close, and there’s much to discuss across the business and tech world. As <keyword id="19981455" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ratan-Tata" source="keywords">Ratan Tata</keyword>’s passing sends ripples of emotional reflection throughout India, former employees of <keyword id="20050933" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Cliq" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Cliq" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Tata Cliq">Tata Cliq</keyword> opened up about how his leadership values shaped their careers. Meanwhile, the electric vehicle space saw turbulence as <keyword id="19897349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Electric" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ola Electric" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ola Electric">Ola Electric</keyword> faces rising customer complaints and a noticeable dip in market share—raising questions about the company’s once-stellar reputation. Additionally, with World <keyword id="19956983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="keywords">Mental Health</keyword> Day just behind us, we put the spotlight on the importance of mental well-being in high-pressure environments through insights from a former <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Google" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Google">Google</keyword> employee. And something seems to be off with the GenZ folk as they begin showing off their <keyword id="23513751" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="smartphone-pinkies" source="keywords">smartphone pinkies</keyword>. Join us as we dive into these stories and more, keeping you informed on the latest shifts in business and more. <h2>Top stories from the week </h2> ’My parents received a letter thanking them when I joined’: Ex-Tata Cliq employees recall Ratan Tata’s company culture Former employees of Tata Cliq recall how Ratan Tata’s compassionate leadership and values were ingrained in the company’s culture. Many employees never met him personally but felt his influence through practices that valued not only the workers but also their families. For instance, a former Cliq employee shared that her parents received a letter of thanks when she joined Tata Cliq, reflecting the deep respect the <keyword id="19924335" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Group" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Tata Group">Tata Group</keyword> held for its employees. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/article/my-parents-received-a-letter-thanking-them-when-i-joined-ex-tata-cliq-employees-recall-ratan-tatas-company-culture/articleshow/114118229.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> The Ola Electric Saga: Are surge in complaints and declining market share a wake-up call for <keyword id="19914967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhavish-Aggarwal" source="keywords">Bhavish Aggarwal</keyword>? Ola Electric, once dominating India’s electric two-wheeler market, is now facing a surge in customer complaints and a sharp decline in market share. The company has been under fire for long wait times, unresolved technical issues, and customer dissatisfaction. The government has also issued notices for potential violations. Once holding nearly half the market, Ola’s share has fallen to 27%, with competition from legacy automakers Bajaj Auto and TVS Motors rapidly increasing. Is this a wake-up call for Ola’s founder Bhavish Aggarwal? <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/the-ola-electric-saga-are-surge-in-complaints-and-declining-market-share-a-wake-up-call-for-bhavish-aggarwal/articleshow/114120828.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> <keyword id="19919711" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gen-Z" source="keywords">Gen Z</keyword> folk are showing off their ‘smartphone pinkies’ — and the images are horrifying A new trend called “smartphone pinky” is gaining attention, with Gen Z users flaunting bent or dented pinkies caused by holding their phones for extended periods. This quirky phenomenon is becoming a viral sensation on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. While some celebrate their “iPhone pinkies” as a badge of honour, medical experts warn that these habits could lead to more serious conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve damage. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/gen-z-folk-are-showing-off-their-smartphone-pinkies-and-the-images-are-horrifying/articleshow/114070817.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> The Nobel Prize-winning ‘godfather of AI’ says he’s glad one of his students had a hand in ousting Sam Altman from OpenAI Geoffrey Hinton, a newly awarded Nobel laureate in physics and the “godfather of AI,” expressed pride that his former student, <keyword id="21285071" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ilya-Sutskever" source="keywords">Ilya Sutskever</keyword>, played a role in ousting Sam Altman from OpenAI. Hinton noted that Altman prioritised profits over AI safety, diverging from the original vision of OpenAI. Though Sutskever later expressed regret for his decision, Hinton’s remarks highlight the growing tensions within the AI industry. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/artificial-intelligence/news/the-nobel-prize-winning-godfather-of-ai-says-hes-glad-one-of-his-students-had-a-hand-in-ousting-sam-altman-from-openai/articleshow/114077932.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> World Mental Health Day: Ex-Google employee shares tips on protecting mental health at the workplace, says he experienced stress and anxiety On World Mental Health Day earlier this week, former Google employee Nicholas Whitaker opened up about the stress and anxiety he faced during his 13-year tenure at the tech giant. He talked about the importance of setting boundaries, practising mindfulness, and aligning work with personal values to maintain mental well-being. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/article/world-mental-health-day-ex-google-employee-shares-tips-on-protecting-mental-health-at-workplace-says-he-experienced-stress-and-anxiety/articleshow/114072724.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> <h2>Top web stories</h2> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/india/webstories/top-dussehra-getaways-from-delhi-escapes-for-the-festive-weekend/slidelist/114046437.cms">Top Dussehra getaways from Delhi: Escapes for the festive weekend</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/india/webstories/vande-bharat-sleeper-trains-first-glimpses-show-snazzy-colours-and-comfortable-furnishings/slidelist/114068864.cms">Vande Bharat sleeper train’s first glimpses show snazzy colours, comfortable interiors</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/food/webstories/9-ways-to-curb-your-sugar-cravings-for-a-healthier-lifestyle/slidelist/113851201.cms">9 ways to curb your sugar cravings for a healthier lifestyle</a>

Weekend wrap: Ratan Tata's legacy, Ola Electric's woes, smartphone pinkies and more

While <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> and tech-enabled logistics company <keyword id="67819" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="porter" source="Orion">Porter</keyword> scored zero on a scale of 1-10, <keyword id="1042120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber" source="Orion">Uber</keyword> and <keyword id="3275685" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dunzo" source="Orion">Dunzo</keyword> received only one point, according to the 'Fairwork India 2023' report, spearheaded by the Centre for IT and Public Policy (CITAPP) at International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B), in association with Oxford University. The report evaluated 12 platforms offering location-based services in sectors such as domestic and personal care, logistics, food delivery and transportation, in the country. This year, the report was structured around the theme of discrimination and alienation that often come up in experiences shared by platform workers. In a year that has seen the formulation of a significant regulation based on inputs from workers called The Rajasthan Platform Based <keyword id="7771650" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gig-workers" source="Orion">Gig workers</keyword> (Registration and Welfare Act, 2023, "we hope that highlighting the experiences of workers will point to the structural changes that platforms, consumers and the state alike will need to undertake if the platform economy is to offer its workers decent work," said Professors Balaji Parthasarathy and Janaki Srinivasan, principal investigators. Fairwork assessed platforms against five principles: Fair Pay, Fair Conditions, Fair Contracts, Fair Management, and Fair Representation. Each principle was broken down into two points: a first point and a second point that can only be awarded if the first point has been fulfilled. The report looked at 12 platforms, including Amazon Flex, Bigbasket, BluSmart, Dunzo, Flipkart, Ola, Porter, Swiggy, Uber, Urban Company, Zepto and Zomato. No platform scored more than six out of the maximum of 10 points, and none scored all the first points across the five principles. In its first year of participation, ride-hailing platform aggregator BluSmart scored higher than more established platforms in its sector, with 5 points out of 10. "There is room for cautious optimism that BluSmart's operational model might represent a step towards better conditions for drivers in the platform economy," the report mentioned. Bigbasket, Flipkart and Urban Company were the only platforms with a minimum wage policy to ensure that all their workers earn at least the hourly local minimum wage after factoring in work-related costs. "No platform made the second point of the Fair Pay principle, which requires platforms to provide sufficient evidence that workers earn at least the local living wage after work-related costs," the findings showed. Under the 'Fair Conditions' principle of providing adequate safety equipment and periodic safety training to their workers, Bigbasket, Swiggy, Urban Company, Zepto and Zomato were awarded the second point. Bigbasket, BluSmart, Urban Company, Zepto, and Zomato met the requirements for the second point under 'Fair Contracts' by adopting a change notification clause in their contracts, reducing asymmetries in liability, adopting a code of conduct for their subcontractors, and making the variables of pricing transparent where dynamic pricing was used. Under the 'Fair Management' principle, there was sufficient evidence only from BluSmart and Swiggy to meet the second point. "No platform could be awarded a point for 'Fair Representation' principle this year," said the report.

Ola, Porter, Uber & Dunzo worst digital platforms for gig workers: Report

More than 32,000 tech workers have been laid off in the US till July this year, including at Big Tech companies like <keyword id="10387" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="microsoft" source="Orion">Microsoft</keyword> and <keyword id="399907" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="meta" source="Orion">Meta</keyword> (formerly Facebook) and the worst has not been over yet for the tech sector that has seen massive stock sell-off. According to the data compiled by Crunchbase, more than 32,000 workers in the US tech sector have been laid off in mass job cuts, as of late July. "We've included both startups and publicly traded companies that are based in the US. We've also included companies based elsewhere that have a sizable team in the United States, such as Klarna," the analysis said. The layoff includes ride-sharing platform Uber, <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword> and several cryptocurrency exchanges and lending platforms. Robinhood, <keyword id="4522875" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="glossier" source="Orion">Glossier</keyword> and Better are just a few of the tech companies that have trimmed their headcount this year. Since April 1 this year, more than 43,000 workers from 342 tech companies/startups have been laid off across the world and over 13 per cent are from <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>, according to latest data compiled by layoffs.fyi, a website that tracks layoffs in startups. In India, more than 25,000 startup workers have lost jobs since the pandemic began -- and more than 11,500 have been fired this year. The layoffs in India are dominated by edtech platforms like Unacademy (1,150 employees), BYJU'S (550 at Toppr and <keyword id="8080458" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="whitehat-jr" source="Orion">Whitehat Jr</keyword>) and <keyword id="2016957" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="vedantu" source="Orion">Vedantu</keyword> (624), along with ride-hailing platform <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> (nearly 500), healthcare startup MFine (600) and pre-owned cars platform Cars24 (600), among others. The other Indian startups and unicorns that have laid off employees are Meesho, MPL, Trell and Blinkit (now owned by <keyword id="830092" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="zomato" source="Orion">Zomato</keyword>), among others. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazon-great-freedom-festival-date-announced-sale-starts-august-6-onwards/articleshow/93268050.cms">Amazon Great Freedom Festival date announced - sale starts August 6 onwards</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/swine-flu-resurfaces-in-keralas-wayanad-first-time-in-kannur/articleshow/93267832.cms">Swine flu resurfaces in Kerala's Wayanad, first time in Kannur</a>

Over 32K tech workers fired in US, more than 11K in India this year

<ul><li>The Indian Federation of App-based Transport workers (IFAT) have filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking social security benefits.</li><li>They demanded that gig workers should be considered as “unorganised workers”, which will make their employers liable to pay them certain benefits.</li><li>The lack of employment contracts between gig workers and new age platforms does not mean there is no employer-employee relationship, the petition read.</li></ul>Some of India’s gig workers — associated with new age firms like Uber, Ola, Zomato and Swiggy — are seeking government intervention to help them overcome the impact of the pandemic and make their employers pay for it. The Indian Federation of App-based Transport workers (IFAT) filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court two days ago, seeking their inclusion as “unorganised workers” or “wage workers” within the Unorganised Workers Social Welfare Security Act, 2008. The association, in collaboration with concerned individuals and organisations, noted that the denial of social security to gig workers and “platform workers’ has resulted in their exploitation through forced labour. The transport gig workers, in the petition accessed by Business Insider, noted that the failure to register them as unorganised workers or provide them with social security is violating their right to life and personal liberty as well as right to equality. They also added that app-based companies — Zomato, Swiggy, Uber, Ola and others — currently claim that they are in partnership with gig workers, therefore there is no contract of employment between the two parties. Hence, they want their hands off any responsibility or accountability over the lives and livelihood of the contractual workers associated with them. “The mere fact that their employers call themselves “aggregators” and enter into the so-called “partnership agreements” does not take away the fact that there exists a jural relationship of employer and employee; master and servant and worker within the meaning of all applicable laws,” the petition read. IFAT added that the contracts were made in a way to disguise the nature of the relations between the gig workers and these apps. They also cited a recent Supreme Court ruling in the United Kingdom, which <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-reclassify-uk-drivers-minimum-wage-benefits-supreme-court-defeat-2021-3">stated</a> that Uber Drivers are in fact workers in the company and are entitled to certain benefits. The workers’ association added that the transport gig workers in India are struggling with decreasing income, increasing fuel prices, immense pressure from loan recovery agents as well as state officials, who too are trying to make a living in this pandemic. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/zee-entertainment-merges-with-sony-pictures/articleshow/86416420.cms">Marriage Story! Zee gets a white knight in Sony</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/infosys-hdfc-bank-vedanta-and-other-top-stocks-to-watch-out-for-on-september-22/slidelist/86415930.cms">Zee Entertainment, Infosys, HDFC Bank and other top stocks to watch out for on September 22</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/zee-entertainment-shares-hits-upper-circuit-after-two-independent-directors-resign-on-investors-demand/articleshow/86189814.cms">Zee Entertainment hits 33% after two independent directors resign on investor’s demand</a>

Gig workers move Supreme Court seeking social security benefits from Zomato, Swiggy, Ola and Uber

EV manufacturer <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> Electric on Thursday launched its much-anticipated Ola S1 Air e-scooter, which comes available in three variants at a starting price of Rs 84,999. The company also expanded its Ola S1 portfolio by launching the new variant at a price of Rs 99,999, which comes powered by a 2kWh battery, and offers an IDC range of 91 km and a top speed of 90 km/hr. The purchase window for the new variant opens from February 9, while the deliveries will begin from March 2023, the company said. "The expansion of the successful S1 portfolio and the S1 Air in 3 new variants, and across multiple price points will encourage more customers to permanently switch to EVs," Bhavish Aggarwal, Founder and CEO, Ola, said in a statement. The new "S1" variant will be available in 11 colour palettes - Gerua, <keyword id="2558372" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="matt-black" source="Orion">Matt Black</keyword>, Coral Glam, <keyword id="8154305" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="millennial-pink" source="Orion">Millennial Pink</keyword>, <keyword id="16451314" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="porcelain-white" source="Orion">Porcelain White</keyword>, <keyword id="1261818" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="midnight-blue" source="Orion">Midnight Blue</keyword>, Jet Black, Marshmellow, Anthracite Grey, Liquid Silver, and Neo Mint, while, "S1 Air" will be available in Coral Glam, Neo Mint, Porcelain White, Jet Black, and Liquid Silver. The Ola S1 Air comes powered by 2kWh, 3kWh and 4kWh battery packs, a 4.5kW hub motor and a top speed of 85 km/hr. The 2 kWh variant offers an IDC range of 85 km, while the IDC range for the 3kWh and 4kWh variants is 125 km and 165 km, respectively, according to the company. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/data-ai-firm-tredence-announces-esop-buyback-worth-240-cr-270-workers-to-benefit/articleshow/97771331.cms">Data AI firm Tredence announces ESOP buyback worth ₹240 cr, 270 workers to benefit</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/indias-first-solar-powered-electric-vehicle-could-cut-your-daily-transportation-costs-by-one-third/articleshow/97773509.cms">India's first solar-powered electric vehicle could cut your daily transportation costs by one-third!</a>

Ola launches new e-scooter S1 Air, starting at ₹84,999

The year 2023 began on a bad note for tech workers globally and 91 companies have laid off more than 24,000 tech employees in the first 15 days this month, signalling worse days ahead. About 24,151 tech workers lost their jobs, dominated by companies like Amazon, Salesforce, <keyword id="1972612" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="coinbase" source="Orion">Coinbase</keyword> and others, according to layoff tracking website Layoffs.fyi.Crypto lending exchange Crypto.com last week announced that the company will reduce its global workforce by approximately 20 per cent amid ongoing economic headwinds and unforeseeable industry events. In India, companies like <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> (which fired 200 employees), voice automated startup Skit.ai, dominated the headlines in January.In December last year, over 17,000 tech employees were shown the door. According to the website which has been tracking job losses since the start of the pandemic, 153,110 workers were let go in 2022, led by companies like <keyword id="399907" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="meta" source="Orion">Meta</keyword>, Twitter, <keyword id="43340" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="oracle" source="Orion">Oracle</keyword>, <keyword id="113675" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="nvidia" source="Orion">Nvidia</keyword>, Snap, Uber, Spotify, Intel and Salesforce, among others. The number of layoffs reached its nadir in November, which saw 51,489 tech workers lose their jobs. Google is another Big Tech company expected to take harsh steps to reduce its headcount in early 2023. Approximately 6 per cent of Google employees could be sacked over "not having enough impact", according to a report by The Information. Google layoffs in 2023 could see as many as 11,000 employees lose their jobs. It means that 2023 is going to become the worst year in the history of the tech world. All eyes are now on the Big Tech quarterly results that will come out at the end of this month. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/what-is-prime-lite-membership-and-what-are-benefits-of-this-membership/articleshow/97020543.cms">Amazon tests Prime Lite membership in India, a cheaper alternative to Prime — here’s how it's different</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/viacom18-wins-womens-ipl-media-rights-for-951-crore-for-2023-27/articleshow/97023787.cms">Viacom18 wins Women's IPL media rights for 951 crore for 2023-27</a>

91 tech companies lay off over 24,000 employees in Jan to date

The Australian state of Victoria has announced that it would extend its public health order issued under the pandemic for three months, citing the serious risk of the BA.2 <keyword id="1609796" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> wave in the state. The extension would begin from Tuesday next week and would last three additional months. Victorian Premier <keyword id="1919155" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="daniel-andrews" source="Orion">Daniel Andrews</keyword> made the announcement on Wednesday night following advice from the state's acting chief health officer, Xinhua news agency reported. "This extension enables us to keep modest and sensible settings in place to reduce transmission and hospitalisation -- that means more support for health workers and limiting its impact on our community," said <keyword id="56217" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="andrews" source="Orion">Andrews</keyword>. "We don't want rules on any longer than they need to be -- we'll continue to follow the advice to protect what we've built while protecting our community." <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID" source="Orion">Covid</keyword> cases have surged in the state since the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-strain has become the dominant strain of the virus in <keyword id="6355478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="australia" source="Orion">Australia</keyword>. On Thursday, Victoria reported 12,314 new cases and 4 additional deaths. The highest single-day increase since the tail end of its initial Omicron wave at the beginning of February. All of Australia's states and territories are fighting similar battles against the raging subvariant. On Thursday, New South Wales (NSW) recorded 22,255 cases and 16 deaths. As of 9 p.m. Wednesday, the Australian Government Department of Health estimated that there are nearly half a million active cases of Covid across the nation. SEE ASLO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/gautam-adani-is-now-the-sixth-richest-person-in-the-world-as-per-forbes-real-time/articleshow/90698849.cms">Gautam Adani is now the sixth richest person in the world</a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/gautam-adani-is-now-the-sixth-richest-person-in-the-world-as-per-forbes-real-time/articleshow/90698849.cms"> </a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/byjus-swiggy-dream11-and-ola-are-among-the-highest-valued-startups-in-india/slidelist/90689106.cms">Byju’s, Swiggy, Dream11 and Ola are among the highest valued startups in India</a>

Australian state extends pandemic declaration and COVID-19 emergency measures for a further 3 months

<ul><li>Section 80JJAA of the Income Tax Act gives deduction for three years to employers for hiring new people.</li><li>The current limit of this provision is ₹300,000 a year that effectively means that the compensation of these people should be less than ₹25,000.</li><li>If the limit is increased, it could help in boosting the salaries of and the number of jobs for gig workers.</li></ul>One of the major concerns raised by the gig workers — such as <keyword id="4235145" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delivery-partners" source="Orion">delivery partners</keyword>, drivers and more — who work for companies like Zomato, Swiggy, BigBasket and Blinkit (Grofers), is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/bigbasket-flipkart-and-urban-company-may-have-paid-fair-wages-but-it-wasnt-enough-to-earn-a-living/articleshow/88946309.cms">the lack of decent compensation</a>. But what if we were to tell you that if an existing provision of the Income Tax Act is clarified and amended, it could raise salaries for the gig workers. Under Section 80JJAA provision of the Indian Income Tax Act, companies can get a tax deduction for hiring new people. If a company’s workforce increased by 50, the salary paid to these employees would make the company eligible for an additional deduction of 30% for the next three financial years, Hemal Zobalia, Partner at Deloitte Haskins &amp; Sells LLP explains. For example, if the company is paying ₹1000 annually to each of these 50 employees, it will get ₹300 as tax deduction for each of them for each of the next three years. Essentially, 90% of the first year’s salary, for each of the new employees, will be deducted from the company’s taxable profit. The goal of this provision is to create more permanent employment for those who are “low-skilled”, according to Jimit Devani, a partner at Deloitte Haskins &amp; Sells. The provision is applicable for employees whose salaries are ₹25,000 per month or less.Increasing the salary limit to ₹35,000-₹40,000 may push more companies to hire permanent employees instead of contractual ones. Meanwhile, Zobalia is of the belief that this would also help in further increasing their payout and salaries. But there is a bigger challenge here. This is not a widely availed incentive by the companies for several reasons. First, companies prefer to hire people on contract and keep them on a third party’s payroll. Such companies cannot avail tax benefit under the 88JJAA provision. Bringing people on to the payroll makes them eligible for other benefits like pension, insurance, and severance to name a few, Devani said. The third parties, however, do avail these tax benefits for employees that have been on their payroll for at least eight months, Devani added. The second issue with this provision is that the benefit is available only on the net addition of employees. Say, a company has a total of 10 employees. Five of them quit the company in a year, and six more are hired in the same year. While the company has six new employees, the net addition to the workforce is only one. And, so, the tax rebate is available only for one additional employee, and not all six. Improving this provision under the income tax law may go a long way in creating sustainable employment for people with less-valued skills, across a range of industries including the gig economy of which the likes of Zomato, Swiggy, Amazon and Flipkart are part of. The current state of salaries in the gig economy As per <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/urban-company-ola-uber-are-not-the-best-places-for-gig-workers/articleshow/88561764.cms">Fairwork India report of 2021</a>, most newage digital platforms — including Zomato, Swiggy, Uber, Dunzo, PharmEasy and Ola — do not offer fair wages to the contractual workers associated with them. Even though companies like Flipkart, Urban Company and BigBasket pay higher and better, it still may not be enough to make local living wage after costs, the report adds. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Company </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Avg income range, including cost </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Flipkart </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹14,500-₹25,000 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Urban Company </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹30,000* </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">BigBasket </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹18,000-₹24,000 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Zomato </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹20,000-₹30,000 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Swiggy </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹10,000-₹15,000 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>Note: Urban Company’s average salary excludes cost Source: Urban Company’s latest report, Apna.co It is important to note that there has been a further reduction in the payout for delivery executives due to decrease in rate cards and incentives, along with increased input costs of petrol and platform commissions. This has made matters worse for the Indian gig workers like delivery partners and drivers, the Fairwork report adds. Fairwork rates digital platforms on their treatment of gig workers who work for them. SEE ALSO <a class="tout-title-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2022-why-income-tax-slabs-may-not-change-this-year/articleshow/89179572.cms">Budget expectations 2022: Here’s why income tax slabs may not change this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/the-indian-government-has-spent-less-than-half-the-money-it-had-budgeted-for-capital-investments-so-far/articleshow/88852518.cms">The Indian government has spent less than half the money it had budgeted for capital investments, so far</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2022-expectation-in-higher-standard-deduction-tax-slabs-and-covid-insurance/slidelist/88891751.cms">From higher standard deduction and change in tax slabs to clarity on Covid insurance, here’s what tax experts want from Budget 2022</a>

There’s a way government can prod Zomato, Swiggy, Uber and Ola to increase salaries of delivery partners and drivers

<ul><li>In India, Flipkart’s delivery &amp; logistics arm eKart ranks first in terms of ‘fairness’ for its <keyword id="3080230" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="gig-economy">gig economy</keyword> workers. </li><li>Foodpanda, Uber and Ola scored only two points, fulfilling only minimum wages criteria for its workforce. </li><li>Separately, to ease the delivery process, the platform also introduced robots to sort packages according to pincodes. </li></ul>The Oxford Internet Institute has just rolled out its first report <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/26/flipkart-ranked-highly-for-fairness-of-working-conditions-in-india-gig-platform-study/">rating gig economy platforms</a> in India in terms of their working conditions — minimum wages, health and safety at work. With a number of Indians entering the gig economy, which includes workforce that is remotely managed by online platforms such as Flipkart, Uber among others, workplace conditions have become an important consideration. Walmart owned e-commerce platform Flipkart topped the company rankings in India for its delivery and logistics arm eKart scoring seven points. While food delivery platform Foodpanda, cab services platform Ola and Uber scored just two points, fulfilling only the criteria for minimum wages. However, Uber’s food delivery platform UberEats scored three points, adding the facility of offering a process for the decisions that affect workers. The report measured the markets on five fronts — fair pay, fair working conditions, fair contracts, that is transparency around the terms &amp; conditions, fair management, and fair representation. The ranking has been concluded on the basis of a collaborated ‘Fairwork Research Project’ by the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore, the University of Cape Town, the University of Manchester, and the University of the Western Cape analysing the markets in India and South Africa. Separately, Flipkart has also recently <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/flipkart-announces-delivery-robots-automation/articleshow/68493938.cms">introduced robots</a> — Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) — in its delivery process to sort packages as per the pin codes where it is to be delivered. However, the company reportedly said that the move will not impact its workforce as it will ‘upskill’ its employees for larger work. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/flipkart-announces-delivery-robots-automation/articleshow/68493938.cms">Flipkart is bringing in robots to help it sort through packages</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-startups-early-stage-funding-sees-more-investors/articleshow/67938329.cms">Indian startup founders are giving up ownership too early – and that's a bad idea</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ride-hailing-like-uber-and-ola-cheaper-for-mid-distances/articleshow/68573585.cms">Most Indians find ride-hailing services cheaper than private cars for mid-distance travel: Survey</a>

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