Welfare Officer appointment rules: factories, mines and plantations must provide qualified officers, proper status, and defined welfare duties. Employer of every factory, mine and plantation must appoint welfare officers according to workforce strength and gender composition, with additional woman welfare officers where women workers exceed the prescribed threshold. A welfare officer must hold a recognised postgraduate qualification in social work, human resources management or labour welfare, know the language spoken by the majority of workers, and have the appointment intimated to the Inspector-cum-Facilitator. Welfare officers are to receive executive status and corresponding service conditions, with a right of appeal against discharge or dismissal, and they must perform welfare, liaison, advisory and compliance-related duties without handling disciplinary cases or representing management against workers.