The forum for IT employees (FITE) in Maharashtra filed an issue about an incident where a female IT professional was molested by an autorickshaw driver while using a ride-hailing service late at night.
Concerned about the safety of IT workers, the forum has written a letter to the chief minister’s office, calling for strict action against companies that fail to provide transportation and requesting clear instructions to protect employees.
In the recent IT policy of the Maharashtra government, IT companies were designated as critical services, which allows them to operate 24/7. The forum highlighted that this policy does not address guidelines for the safety and security of employees who work late at night. The forum urged the government to update the policy and safeguard employee rights.
The forum proposes several measures to the government which include providing transportation for night shift workers, ensuring the presence of security guards and GPS tracking in vehicles, conducting background checks on drivers, and offering work-from-home options when employees have to travel to secluded areas to safeguard them.
They also emphasised the need for proper mechanisms so that employees can report security issues and some efforts like city-wide CCTV camera installation, and proactive support from the police’s helpline number to regulate any mishap.
The forum further recommends that companies should schedule their shifts in a way that it ends either at midnight or 5 am to prevent employees from travelling during late-night hours. They also suggest that if a significant number of women are doing night shifts, there should be a female HR representative or a woman manager on-site to ensure their safety.
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