Four Bank Unions Reiterate Their Demand For Special Leave For Bank Employees Affected With COVID-19

The All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), All Indian Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA), Indian National Bank Officers’ Congress (INBOC) and National Organization of Bank Officers’ (NOBO), have again raised their demand asking for special leave for bank employees affected with Covid-19. The text of their letter to the Chairman of Indian Banks’s Association (IBA) is given below for the benefit of the viewers of www.indianpsu.com.

Shri Rajkiran Rai G,
Chairman,
Indian Banks’ Association
Mumbai
Dear Sir,
COVID-19 PANDEMIC – REQUEST FOR SPECIAL LEAVE FOR BANK EMPLOYEES AFFECTED WITH COVID-19

At the outset, we convey our greetings on behalf of four officers’ organisations of the entire banking industry viz. AIBOC/AIBOA/INBOC/NOBO.

2. Sir, you are aware that the bank employees have been working as frontline Covid warriors and have displayed indomitable fighting spirit, zeal, commitment and dedication in extending banking services to the citizenry and the Government tirelessly, since lockdown was imposed in the country in March 2020. Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural banks, old generation private banks have always been pioneers in successful implementation of the policies and programmes of the Government. Hon’ble Prime Minister and Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs have lauded the bank employees and officials for rendering yeoman service to the nation during the entire period.

3. Since the outbreak of the disease, thousands of bank employees and officials have laid down their lives in the line of duty having succumbed to the disease, while a few lakh have been infected. As per extant guidelines an employee is required to go on self-quarantine for a period of 14 days if he/she comes in close contact of any infected person to curtail the spread of
the virus. The entire period of absence is treated as ‘Special Leave’.

4. In this context, many State and Union Territory administrations like Tamil Nadu vide GO no G.o. (Ms) no. 304 dated 17th June 2020, have ‘If the Government Servant himself is Covid positive and under treatment (or) if his /her family members are affected with Covid and if he/she is quarantined (or) if their residence is in the containment zone requiring quarantine
due to Covid-19, the entire period of treatment /quarantine as certified by appropriate Medical authorities be treated as special casual leave’. On the other hand, the period of absence for Covid infected employees/officials in banking sector is being treated as ‘Sick Leave’. In case, neither Sick Leave nor Privilege Leave is available to an employee especially to the newly recruited employees, the days of absence will be treated as EOL (Extra Ordinary Leave) on loss of pay. This discriminatory treatment has, in fact, highly demotivated the soldiers of the financial army.

5. In view of the foregoing, we would appeal to your good self to take a calibrated call on a pragmatic approach and take a holistic view on our request to treat the sick leave debited in respect of staff members tested positive or quarantined on account of dependent family members having tested positive as Special Leave.

6. We trust, going by the commitment of the government towards the wellbeing of the corona warriors, that a positive decision will be taken at your end and necessary instructions will be issued to the individual banks for treating the period of quarantine as special leave like state and central government of the government towards the wellbeing of the corona warriors, that a positive decision will be taken at your end and necessary instructions will be issued to the individual banks for treating the period of quarantine as special leave like state and central government employees. A positive move in this regard will immensely benefit the bank employees who are acutely susceptible to contamination as they are highly exposed to general public
dealing. We reaffirm our wholehearted support for implementing the government’s economic packages through banking channel for the progress and development of the economy and the wellbeing of the common people.