NEW DELHI: There are no uniform rules for female
employees in government departments and organizations and they are treated by
varying yardsticks when it comes to essential benefits like maternity and child
care leave (CCL).
Dismayed after finding that maternity leave can
vary from 90 to 135 days, a Parliamentary panel has suggested that all
government departments and organizations should ensure 180 days of leave for
their women employees.
The panel found many organizations grant 90, 85 or
135 days of maternity leave. It has said child care leave (CCL) of 730 days
must be granted with pay to women employees across the board in government.
The committee was also distressed by the low
presence of women employees in Government organizations. "It is
disheartening to observe that it is significantly low...10.04% as per the 2012
census of Central Government employees," the panel said. The
representation is particularly poor in semi-urban and rural areas.
The Standing Committee on Law, Personnel and Public
Grievances on the 'status of women in government employment and in public
sector undertakings' was unhappy that while a majority of the organizations do
grant CCL, but they do so without pay.
For example, Mahanandi Coalfields Ltd gives CCL to
female employees working as executives but not for non-executive category. In
Cochin Shipyard Ltd, CCL is not granted since there is no specific direction
from the department of public enterprises.
The policy has been discontinued in Mormugao Port
Trust even though CCL benefits have been extended to all civilian female
industrial employees in government since September, 2008. But many women
employees hesitate to avail the leave, if granted without pay.
Introduction of "flexible timings" for
female employees, especially young mothers, so that organizations can retain
talent has been mooted by the committee headed by Congress MP Shantaram Naik as
the panel found household responsibilities as a major reason for attrition
among women employees.
The government has been asked to explore the policy
on "staggered working hours" or "work at home" for female
employees. The panel was informed that the recommendation of Sixth Pay
Commission regarding staggered working hours was not accepted by the
Government.
Single women should be given postings closest to
their hometown or places of their choice, the panel said. "It should be
mandatorily ensured," it said, adding that this "pertinent
factor" should be kept in mind during allocation of postings by department
heads.
The provision for giving same station posting to
couples may be given statutory backing, the panel recommended as it found the
instruction is not always adhered to Women employees who travel beyond office hours
should be provided with security and proper transport by the employer in order
to ensure their safety, the Committee said.
The panel also noted that action taken on
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace is "not satisfactory".
It felt merely transferring a delinquent employee to a different branch or
station is inadequate and strict disciplinary action is needed. "The
punishment has to be deterrent for prospective offenders," the panel said.
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