Coming soon: Up to 2 years' sabbatical for women bank staff

Come April, and women employees of public sector banks (PSBs) may be able to get sabbatical of up to two years during their career.

The Finance Ministry has asked PSBs to place this proposal before their respective boards for decision and its introduction with effect from April 1, official sources said.

This follows the Government agreeing to the Khandelwal Committee's recommendation to introduce sabbatical for women employees of PSBs. The sabbatical benefit will be available only to employees who have put in a minimum of five years of service. The leave will have to be taken for a period of at least three months at a time and it should not be taken more than once in a year.

But, the Government's decision has somewhat irked trade unions, as they contend that such a move would be unilateral and in violation of the service conditions provided in the bilateral settlement between the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and the unions.

UNIONS CUT-UP

“We are not against sabbatical for female employees. But we are against unilateral changes in service conditions,” C.H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary of All-India Bank Employees' Association, said. The AIBEA has written to the Department of Financial Services in the Finance Ministry seeking a rethink on the issue and the need to abide by the provisions of law.

He pointed out that leave rules are part of service conditions of bank employees and governed under the bipartite settlement signed between IBA and the unions. Either side cannot change, amend or alter the service conditions, except through mutual discussions or through the due process of law.

As and when the proposal (sabbatical for women employees) is brought before the boards, the workman directors will mark their protest for such a unilateral change in service conditions, Venkatachalam said.

The Khandelwal Committee was set up in October 2009 to study human resource issues in public sector banks. The Committee had made 105 recommendations, of which the Centre has given its green signal for 56.

krsrivats@thehindu.co.in