Human Resource Community

Delhi: The national capital of India, Delhi has been recording hazardous levels of pollution since the past few years. The air quality in the region has become non-breathable. Therefore, the Supreme Court has asked the Central and State governments to implement certain measures to reduce the pollution levels in Delhi NCR. The SC has asked the governments to address these five aspects of pollution to reduce air toxicity: 1. Construction activities 2. Power plants 3. Industries 4. Transport 5. Road traffic The SC has directed the central government along with the government of the Delhi NCR region to consider implementing ‘work from home’ for employees working in the capital. The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also informed the press and the citizens on November 14 that the SC has requested to gauge the possibility of implementing a complete lockdown in Delhi. Till further notice, schools will remain closed for the week and students will resume classes from home, while the Delhi government has directed all its employees to work-from-home. Following in the footsteps of the Delhi government, the Haryana government has also directed its workforce to work-from-home. The move is aimed at reducing vehicular emissions into the extremely polluted air of the national capital. Source- HR Katha

In these turbulent times, there is good news for youth seeking jobs in Noida and Greater Noida. The Noida Authority, the Greater Noida Authority and the Yamuna Expressway Authority are collaborating to organise a two-day job fair on November 13 and 14. The local development authorities are organising the fair for the youth of the area, at the Noida Shilp Haat in Sector 33A. The job fair is being organized to employ the family members of farmers who have had to give up their lands for the developmental projects in the area. As the farmers had to sell their lands, they have been demanding jobs for their children in the private companies in Noida and Greater Noida as compensation. They have demanded their children receive jobs in the private and industrial bodies of the region. Candidates who wish to work in these bodies can directly apply at the venue by presenting all their necessary documents and certificates. The fair will be a great way to connect the local youth with aspirations, ideas and innovations with the employers. The fair is open to provide employment to the family members and the locals of the region. The farmers have been disrupting local developmental work by agitating at the sites and near the Noida authority office since September. Their only demand is decent employment for their children and family members. Source: HR Katha

The Punjab government has decided to regularise employment for 36,000 contractual, ad hoc, temporary and daily-wage workers. The cabinet has approved the decision ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the presence of Chandrajit Singh Channi, the chief minister of Punjab. The draft ‘Punjab Protection and Regularisation of Contractual Employees Bill-2021’ was introduced by the state government in the new session and was also approved by the cabinet. As per the statement given by Channi, contractual staff with over 10 years of experience in the government will be regularised. With this decision, another approval was given by the cabinet to add extra deemed posts in the government. The move brings relief to several contractual and temporary wage workers who have been protesting and demanding regularisation of their employment. In another decision, the Punjab government has also approved the increment of minimum wages in the state. It has now been increased by Rs 415.89, that is, from Rs 8,776.83 to Rs 9,192.72. With this increment in minimum wages, workers will now also receive the arrears of Rs 8,251 from March 1, 2020 up to October, 2021. In December 2016, the then SAD-BJP government had also passed the Punjab Adhoc, Contractual, Daily Wage, Temporary, Work Charged and Outsourced Employees’ Welfare Bill, 2016, in a special session convened ahead of the 2017 state polls. This was meant to regularise the services of 30,000 employees of various government departments, but the same did not happen. Source: HRKatha

The civic staff of the Thane Municipal Corporation are told they’ll not be paid their salaries if they fail to get fully vaccinated within the prescribed deadline. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has made vaccination a mandate for its civic staff. In a meeting held by the TMC officials on November 8, which was also attended by Vipin Sharma, Commissioner, TMC and Naresh Mhaske, Mayor. After the meeting, it had been decided that civic employees who have yet to receive their first jab of the COVID vaccine won’t be given their salaries if they do not get vaccinated as soon as possible. Not just that, even those who have received their first dose of the vaccination but fail to get their second dose within the prescribed timeline won’t receive their salaries. It is a clear message from the officials that all civic staff will need to get fully vaccinated at any cost. In a statement given to the media, Sharma said that the TMC has taken this decision to encourage vaccination drive in the district and ensure 100 per cent vaccination. On November 9, the Thane district formed 167 teams of nurses and ASHA workers to assist in collecting data on what number people have been vaccinated, by going door to door. Mhaske also revealed to the media that they are taking help from universities and schools to spread awareness about getting vaccinated at any cost. Earlier in the week, even in Nagpur, R Vimala, the district collector, issued orders that unvaccinated civic employees won’t be allowed to enter the govt. offices and can be deprived of other medical and health benefits as well. Source: oneindia

On November 2, the Singapore government passed a bill to correct the Retirement and Re-employment Act, raising the retirement and re-business ages to 65 and 70, separately. The move will permit more seasoned individuals to work for additional years, however doesn’t compel them to do as such. It is altogether up to the actual specialists how long they wish to function prior to resigning. This correction comes after a suggestion by the Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers in 2019, for the retirement and re-business ages to be expanded by three years, by 2030. As declared before, the legal retirement age and re-business age will be raised to 63 from 62 and from 67 to 68, individually, on Jul 1, 2022. The public area has effectively carried out it on Jul 1. Like in China, there will be a steady augmentation in these ages, in stages. The legal retirement age is, notwithstanding, needed to ensure against bosses firing matured workers. Bosses should propose to re-enlist laborers as old as 68 in a similar foundation. Managers who wish to permit their representatives to fill in as long as they wish will be free to do as such. The normal powerful retirement age has gone up quicker in Singapore than the Organization for Economic Co-activity and Development (OECD) normal. In ten years’ time, it is anticipated that one of every five residents of Singapore will be over 65, on account of the low fruitfulness rates and expanding future. Source: HRKatha

We have always heard the term that India is a ‘developing’ country. Is it really true? Well, with rapid advancements, increased social media use, knowledge exchange and digital education, the population is definitely adopting paradigm-shifting solutions. While some decisions are influenced by the wave of change in the West, some come as a result of mindset change and the evolution of people’s minds. In any country, equality, social change and multicultural advancements are some major parameters to consider before calling it modern or liberal. When it comes to women empowerment, India is still evolving. It has a long way to go. One of the most taboo subjects in India is to talk freely about menstruation. However, that is gradually changing in some parts of the country. In a revolutionary move, some companies in India have allowed women to have paid leaves during their menstrual cycle. How good is that? Also, India is not the only country to consider offering leaves to its female employees during their monthly cycle. Countries like Japan, South Korea and Italy have menstrual leave as a part of their female employee leave policy. Taking a foot forward in the same way, some companies in India are offering one or two leaves to their female staff members. Let’s get to know the companies that offer menstrual leaves. Swiggy – It is an online food delivery company in India that offers two days of monthly time off to their female food delivery staff members. Culture Machine – It is a Mumbai-based digital media startup that allows women to take a day off during the first day of their period. Mathrumbi – It is a Malayalam media organization that allows women to work from home or stay at home during the first day of their cycle. Magzter – It is a Chennai-based digital magazine platform that offers one day of paid leave to its women employees during their period. Wet and Dry – It is a Delhi-based feminine hygiene product maker that offers women two days off during their period. IndustryARC – It is a Hyderabad-based market research and consulting firm that allows women one or two days of paid leaves during their menstrual cycle. Zomato – It is a Gurugram-based food delivery company that allows its female staff members to take 10 days of paid leaves in a year during their period. Byju’s – It is India’s leading education app that grants women 12 period leaves in a year. In conclusion, it would be best to openly address issues and talks related to menstruation as it is a natural biological phenomenon. The notion of women being on their period should be normalized. Everyone should show empathy and respect for the changes that a woman is going through. Following the footsteps of the above mentioned companies, we look forward to more Indian and international companies offering paid leaves to women during their menstrual cycle to ensure their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Source: IndiaTimes

Google Bay view, the company’s newest campus, consists of three squat buildings structured near the San Fransisco Bay Shoreline a few miles east of its headquarters in Mountain View. Google has the embodiment of a grander ambition to run its operations completely carbon-free.  The new office will be opened with limited employees while keeping the pandemic in mind.  Last year Pichai had announced to run all its Google offices on electricity with a clean source of energy.  The goal has been set till 2030, considered to be the most ambitious corporate commitment for decarbonization.  Although aiming such bog targets for clean energy by Google is beyond typical corporate targets, Pichai is all set to make considerate sacrifices for reaching these targets. Source: ndtv.com

One of the leading companies in the IT sector, Wipro, has announced the launch of its ‘Begin Again’ program, for women professionals who had a break in their career of almost six months to one year or more than that, for jobs based in India. This ‘Begin Again’ program is a part of Wipro’s Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) initiative for women aspiring to re-launch their career after a break. Be it for motherhood, sabbatical, elderly care, passion, travel, or any other personal reasons. As per the company, “this initiative will allow talented women to explore opportunities that will enhance their potential and allow them to get back on track with the current demands of the industry.” Along with this new initiative, the company has also recruited 8,100 freshers from the last quarter. Wipro CEO claims to be well-positioned to hire 25000 freshers in the upcoming financial years as well. Source: livemint.com