The All-India Nationalised Banks Officers’ Federation (AINBOF) has urged the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) to issue uniform guidelines for the safety and welfare of employees of public sector banks in view of the pandemic.
In a letter to the IBA, GV Manimaran, General Secretary of AINBOF, said the bankers are ‘financial warriors’ of the nation. They are also infected by Covid-19 and the number of cases is increasing every day.
Seeking uniform guidelines from the IBA for the safety and welfare of employees, the AINBOF letter suggested the payment of ₹50 lakh as compensation to the legal heirs in case of death of any employee till December 31, while in service, due to Covid-19 infection.
Stating that the guidelines issued by the individual banks are not uniform and consistent, Manimaran said in the letter that State Bank of India has announced a payment of ₹20 lakh as compensation to bank employees in the event of death/disability/serious injury while on duty, and Bank of Baroda has announced ₹50 lakh Covid ex-gratia to its employees.
Tie-ups with hospitals
He also suggested that the banks make arrangements with reputed hospitals at select cities and towns for undertaking Covid-19 testing of officers and employees, and providing isolation wards for those affected by Covid-19 and their family members.
He said SBI has entered into an arrangement with reputed hospitals in major cities for providing ‘isolation rooms’ for use by its staff and their family members in case of being infected by the virus. The bank has also announced 100 per cent reimbursement of such expenses.
The AINBOF urged the IBA to issue guidelines asking banks to bear the entire hospitalisation expenses of infected employees and their family members, including the cost of PPE kits.
The IBA should issue guidelines with regard to persons with disabilities, employees at higher health risk (including pregnant employees), and employees aged above 55 years with acute health issues, exempting them from attending duties till normalcy resumes, he added.