Tata Steel's LGBTQ+ Employees' Partners Get HR Benefits

Tata Steel of the Tata Group made changes to its Human Resource Policies to include the LGBTQI+ community as a part of its employee benefits progammes. As a part of the modification, employees of the LGBTQI+ community can avail a range of benefits like leave and financial assistance for gender reassignment surgery, adoption leave, health check-ups et al.

Crux of the Matter

1. Tata Steel made changes to its HR policies under the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) program. It changed the word spouse to partner which would enable the inclusion of people of same-sex living like a married couple.

2. The employee and the partner are now the beneficiaries of the medical facilities, child-care leave, Tata Executive Holiday Plan (TEHP), local travel insurance, employee assistance programme (EAP), etc.

3. The new policy considers the partner eligible for participation in company events and gatherings.

4. Tata has always endeavoured towards integrating the needs of the individuals of its companies and therefore it is imperative to bring changes to include diversity into the workplace environment, the steelmaker said.

Curiopedia

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) People in India may face legal and social difficulties not experienced by non-LGBT persons. Over the past decade, LGBT people in India have increasingly gained tolerance and acceptance, especially in large cities. Nonetheless, most LGBT people in India remain closeted, fearing discrimination from their families, who might see homosexuality as shameful. Discrimination remains a strong presence in rural areas, where LGBT people often face rejection from their families and are forced into opposite-sex marriages. Sexual activity between people of the same gender is legal. Same-sex couples are not legally recognized currently in any form, yet performing a symbolic same-sex marriage is not prohibited under Indian law either. In 2018, the Supreme Court of India decriminalised homosexuality by declaring Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional. Homosexuality was never illegal or a criminal offence in ancient Indian and traditional codes but was criminalised by the British during their rule in India. More Info

Curated Coverage

1. Business Standard – Tata Steel asks LGBTQ+ employees to declare partners, avail HR benefits

2. Economic Times – Tata Stell asks LGBTQ+ employees to declare partners, avail HR benefits

3. Business Today – Tata Steel asks LGBTQ employees to declare partners, avail benefits under new HR policy

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