Service Rules

ORGANISATIONAL RULES & REGULATIONS

Office Timings:
The normal office time is 10.30 hrs. to 18.30 hrs. in all centers. A staff member is expected to devote 8 hours, six days per week. Sunday will be weekly-off. Attendance register is being maintained in every center. Staff members should ensure that they sign the attendance register on daily basis.

Holidays
Every year, before the beginning of a new calendar year list of holidays, primarily based on Central Govt. notification for the state, will be issued by the Director / Executive Officer and circulated to all Centres. (15-18 days in a year)

Leave – Policy and Rules

Leave Approval Leave is to be planned with the immediate team and prior approval has to be sought as per following rules.

For Programme Staff

• 1-6 days – To be approved by the local coordinator or Project In-charge, with information to Centre in-charge, Project Incharge and Programme Coordinator.
• 7-29 days – To be approved by Programme Committee with information to EC and AC.
• 30 days or more – To be approved by Academic Council with information to EC

For Admin Staff:

• 1-6 days – To be approved by Unit in-charge (or Centre In-charge)
• 7-29 days – To be approved by Centre In-charge in Consultation with EO/Director
• 30 days or more – To be approved by Executive Council, with information to AC.

Type and Number of leaves:

• Privilege leave- 35 days
• Short leave (of two hours each) – 24 leaves (6 days)
• Maternity/Paternity leave – as per norms mentioned below
• Optional leaves – 2 days

Leave and Leave Rules:

• Privilege Leave – 35 days, can be carried forward to next year.
• Short leave – 24 leaves of two hours each (6 days). Will not be carried forward to next year.
• Both these are applicable to those working full time with Eklavya on grade or fixed salary.
• Other than short leaves allowed, minimum leave that can be taken is for half a day (least count).
• Eklavya has a six-day working week.
• Sandwiched Sundays/holidays in leave up to seven days will not to be counted. (Sandwiched leave will be counted for leave for 8 days or above).
• Allowed accumulation of leave is up to 180 days. For those on fixed salary, leave will be calculated on quarterly prorata basis.
• Leave Encashment is not allowed.
• Application for leave has to be submitted (in writing or by email) at least two days before the date leave is sought from.
• For short leave (of two hours) approval is not necessary. Person can inform one day in advance or on the same day.
• If there is no prior approval, leave will be treated as LWP.
• If the person concerned has applied for leave in time, the next in line has to provide approval (or reject paid leave) within 48 hours.
• Only in case of medical and other emergency situations, person can inform and take approval on the same day (or in next twenty-four hours.
• For a leave of more than 6 days, a request for leave must be submitted one week in advance.2
• The organization has the discretion to issue a notice, stop increment, or terminate contract if leave for more than one month, without prior approval is taken.

For members in Office:

• Working day is considered as eight hours a day, with maximum of half an hour break for meal.
• Usually office timings are from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm
• Timings (of an individual) can be changed in consultation with the team, with approval from PI and Centre In-charge with information to Programme Coordinator, keeping to the eight-hour stipulation.
• Every member has to sign the attendance register daily. Admin of each centre will be responsible for maintaining the daily timing record, under the supervision of Centre in-charge and HR head.
• At locations that have no dedicated admin staff, this task will be assigned to one of the programme team by Centre Incharge/EO.
• More than half an hour delay or leaving early by more than half an hour will be marked as half day leave. (other than the short leave taken with information).
• Recurring delay or early leaving without prior approval (as per approval protocol mentioned separately) hence not following on an average an eight-hour working routine will lead to those days being considered as leave without approval (LWP).

For Members in Field/On Visit:

• The same rules will be followed as mentioned above, for field teams that have an accessible field allowing roughly an eight-hour routine, including travel time.
• During field visits, the team can organise their daily itinerary/timings so as to suit the requirement of the objective/task – for example a visit can start from 8 am and continue till 4 pm, or there could be morning and evening stretches, wherein there could be a break in-between.
• For any other such engagement where distances are much longer and geography difficult, for days that require 4-5-6 hours of travel time, the member concerned can work from home/office for one day for planning, preparations and report writing etc. after every two-three days of very long travel time field visits. For the normal field visits, rules as applicable above will be followed.

Travel Time:

• Those resuming office after overnight travel will be entitled to half day leave and can join office in the second half.
• Those traveling on Sundays or Holidays, for about 6-8 hours will be entitled to one day of compensatory off.

Compensatory off:

• Should usually be taken within one month, maximum of two months.
• Has to be taken with approval from local coordinator or PI, with information to centre in-charge and PI/Programme Coordinator.
• With due permission, because of workload or other circumstances, Compensatory off can be taken beyond two-month period with permission from PI or local coordinator.
• Compensatory off can be taken for work of 6-8 hours performed on Sunday or any other holiday which is approved by the next in line.
• Compensatory leave can be availed off for capacity building workshops, if held on Sundays or holidays.
• After continuous intensive work (eg. long trainings, book fairs, audit, etc.) concerned individuals can take 1-2 days leave or work from home (WFH) with information to the next in line.

Working from Home (WFH)

Each member can be allowed one day of working from home every week, with following stipulations. (Project/Programme/admin can also provide longer WFH, keeping the following in view.)

• Working from home can only be done with pre-planning and advance application and sanction from the Project In-charge or local coordinator, with information to Centre in-charge, Programme Coordinator and HR/EO.
• Information about WFH has to be shared by the Project In-charge or local coordinator, with admin and on local email group.
• Person allowing WFH has to examine that the allotted work has been completed and full day WFH is justifiable. In case, it is not s/he can reduce it to half or nullify it entirely.
• Wherever it is felt necessary, Centre In-charge, HR, EO, and Director can ask for information to check the justification of allowed WFH, esp. in case of recurring cases or long WFH.
• Approval for WFH at a stretch for a period beyond seven days has to seek from a committee consisting of Centre In-charge, Project Incharge / Program Coordinator, HR head and EO. Report on work and the approval, both have to be in writing.
• If the Project In-charge has to take WFH, s/he has to seek permission from Programme Coordinator.
• In the same vein, for WFH, Programme Coordinator has to seek permission from EO or Director.
• EO has to seek permission from Director for WFH. Director can keep the EO and Centre in-charge informed about WFH.
• In case the next in line is not available (is on leave or not accessible), WFH has to be sought from and approved by the level above that.

On work away from Head Quarter

• All rules for WFH would be applicable for this category as well. (Refer section above).
• Working away from head quarter for a period beyond seven days has to justify to a committee consisting of Centre In-charge, PI, HR head and EO. Report on work and the approval, both have to be in writing.
• In case of PI or Programme coordinator or a project anchored by Academic Council, this committee will have the Director as well.

Long leave – with pay / without pay:

• Application for long leave (one month or more) has to be given at least one month in advance, unless there is a medical emergency.
• Even for medical or other emergency, application should be given within one week of going on leave.
• For leave up to one month, the concerned Programme Committee has to plan the work/tasks that the person is responsible for while approving leave and inform the Centre In-charge and Academic Council / Executive Council about the planning.
• Similarly, for leave beyond one-month Academic Council has to plan the work/tasks to ensure that the project/programme does not suffer.
• For Project In-charge / Programme Coordinator, the planning in absence has to be undertaken with further rigour.
• The concerned forum (PC or AC) also has to ensure that the charge handing over is planned with due delegation so that the work flow continues unhindered.
• A member resigning from the organisation can avail of accumulated leave to explore other work possibilities with the undertaking that s/he is not drawing salary from any other organisation/source during that period.
• If the leave application is not submitted in advance or the leave is not approved by PC/AC/EC, it will be considered Leave without pay (LWP).
• A person on leave (with pay) cannot draw salary during that period from any other source.
• Submission of Medical Certificate will be compulsory for long medical leave.
• Application, sanction and other documents related to long leave (with pay and without pay) will be filed in personnel file of the concerned individual.
• Maximum period of long leave would be six months. Any special case beyond that eg study leave, education leave, sabbatical will need to be approved by both AC and EC.
• Normally leave with pay will be approved for maximum of 90 days, leave beyond that would be without pay (LWP).
• In case of long leave (i.e. 3 to 6 months) whether leave with pay or without pay, the organisation will have a discretion to decide whether to continue the services of the concerned person at the same post / location or deploy her/him to a different post / location as per organisational needs.

Leave info from field locations/others to HQ/HR:

• On 25th of every month the admin/accounts person responsible for managing leave record at each centre has to send information about number of leaves of each staff member within the month to HR, with copy to respective Centre In-charge and EO. Failure to send this information will lead to withholding of salary of the admin/accounts person and concerned Centre In-charge for that month.
• By 5th of next month the admin/accounts person responsible for managing leave record at each centre has to send scan of the signed/verified (by Centre In-charge or local coordinator) copy of the attendance register pages of the previous month to HR, with copy to Centre In-charge and EO. Failure to send verified scans (or photocopies) will lead to withholding salary of the accounts person and Centre In-charge/local coordinator. Withheld salary will only be released next month along with routine salary release.

Maternity Leave:

• Six-month maternity leave will be given to women staff members. The provisions of Maternity Benefit Act (Amended) 2017, govern maternity leave for female employees.
• It’s applicable to women under every classified employment of Eklavya (on grade, fixed, full-time, part time, regular contract etc.), as per the provision of the act.
• A female employee who has worked for 180 days or more is eligible for maternity leave on full pay.
• The female employee applying for maternity leave should inform the respective Centre In-charge and EO in writing of her expected date of delivery, supported by a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner, two weeks prior to proceeding on maternity leave.
• For Eklavya below-mentioned guidelines will be followed:
• 26 weeks of maternity leave.
• Work from home can be considered as per rules mentioned above.
• Crèche Facility will be provided till the child attains the age of 3 years. Expenses of care-giver of the child to be borne by Eklavya.
• For miscarriage 6 weeks (maximum) leave to be granted to the concerned staff member.
• For tubectomy operation - As per provision of the act up to 2-week leave will be provided.
• For adoption / Commissioning mothers:

Paternity Leave:

• All male employees will be entitled to paternity leave for 2 weeks as per the provision of maternity benefit act.

Process/Mechanism:

• Necessary forms/templates/online-forms will be worked out by HR and Admin as per the ratified rules.
• HR and EO will be part of leave google-groups concerning all centres. Whenever the approval for leave, WHF etc. is sanctioned by them, they will notify the concerned centre google-group.

Further Notes/Rules:

• For those projects directly anchored by the Academic Council, the roles expected from the programme committee / Programme Coordinator will be undertaken by the empowered committee / management committee formed in each case, along with the director.
• Organization has the discretion to call the employee back from leave in case of any emergency work, for example donor agency visit, or important meeting etc.
• For every staff member who has worked in the organisation for five years, leave of seven days at one stretch once in a year is compulsory, for all those who have not taken such leave in previous twelve months. This is applicable only when the concerned person has available leave.
• For all leave calculations calendar year, that is, January to December cycle will be followed. Same process (as for approval) would be followed if a person has to cancel the approved leave.

Traveling Expenses and Daily Allowances for Official Tours:
Eklavya staff members should normally travel by railway sleeper class or bus. However, in following cases / situation, any Eklavya staff member can (if s/he feels necessary) travel by 3rd AC Sleeper.

• A member who is above fifty years of age.
• For a journey that is more than 15 hours long.
• In extreme weather conditions especially in peak summer and winter.
• Whenever the member is unwell (occasional or chronic).
• For third (or fourth) travel in a particular month.
• If the second sleeper reservation is not available.

Staff members having been invited by other organization will be free to travel by any mode depending on the provisions made by that organization.

For stay, Eklavya members can use university guest house, youth hostel or other fraternal guest houses (ISI, GPF, Bal Bhavan etc. in Delhi, Similar in other places), or hotel with following upper limits, whenever necessary.

• All Metro cities –up to Rs 1000/- per day
• All Other cities –up to Rs 500/- per day

Food expenses admissible to Eklavya staff is Rs. 200/- per day per person, or actual whichever is less.

Rate of Official Use of Personal Vehicles (Two Wheelers / Four Wheelers)
Rate of fuel and maintenance expenses reimbursement for official use of personal two wheelers will be 25km /litre, and similarly, for four wheelers the rate will be 10 kms per litres. EC will review and shall revise the rates (if required), from time to time.

Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal of Sexual Harassment in Eklavya
Government of India, in 2013, notified the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (referred to as Act hereinafter). Consistent with the Vishakha judgment, the Act aspires to ensure women’s right to workplace equality, free from sexual harassment through compliances. Consequently, any woman who wishes to report instances of sexual harassment at the workplace has the right to take recourse of both civil and criminal proceedings. For detailed information refer Eklavya’s web-link: https://www.eklavya.in/about-us-eklavya/eklavya-policies/committee-against-sexual-harassment

STAFF WELFARE & STATUTORY BENEFITS

Loans to Staff

Staff members shall be entitled to avail personal loan to a maximum of Rs. 1, 50,000/- (Rupees One Lac Fifty Thousand Only) refundable in maximum 24 monthly instalments. Such loans shall bear simple annual interest of 4 % (four percent). The principal and the interest payable shall be computed at the time of sanction for the entire loan period at simple interest rate and shall be divided by the desired number of instalments to arrive at the amount of monthly instalment. The applications for staff loans in prescribed format duly recommended by the Centre In-charge shall be disposed by the Staff Loan Committee constituted by the Executive Council with following three members:

• Accounts Officer 
• Executive Officer
• Director

Those on Fixed Salary will be eligible for loan to a maximum of two months’ gross salary. The recovery of loan will commence from the month following the month of sanction. New loan shall not be given unless the entire previous loan is paid back as per sanction. If a staff member who has taken loan leaves the organization, s/he shall be required to pay back the entire loan amount immediately. It is mandatory to mention purpose in the loan application. Loan will be disbursed on first cum first basis, subjected to the availability of funds. Loan Committee is the sanctioning authority and has the powers to ask for explanations or evidence as it may deem fit. It reserves the right to reject applications. Any dispute would be referred to the Executive Council.

Staff Hospitalisation Assistance Scheme
The scheme covers all the Eklavya members and their dependents. This scheme is run by Eklavya as self-insurance and meant for medical assistance towards hospitalisation. For details and guidelines, following link in Eklavya’s website can be visited: https://www.eklavya.in/blogsetc/staff-welfare-eklavya

Counselling Support for Staff
Apart from physical illness sometimes there are issues that are related to mental health and well-being. Eklavya has tied-up with two Clinical Psychologists to provide counselling support to the Eklavya staff who seeks such support / counselling. Eklavya ensures confidentiality of such case(s). Eklavya will bear expenses for five counselling sessions within one year. A note on counselling support is available on Eklavya’s website at: https://www.eklavya.in/blogsetc/staff-welfare-eklavya

Health Measures
Preventive health care facility for providing interaction with an experienced doctor shall be provided by Eklavya at all the centers / regions. Doctor should mostly focus on preventive, but can prescribe treatment whenever necessary/urgent. A staff member will be provided reimbursement for medical tests up to a maximum of Rs 3000/- per year.  These tests can arise from the above mentioned preventive measures or some curative tests undertaken during some sickness/treatment, as permitted by a doctor.

Eklavya Member’s Group Medical Scheme
The scheme covers all the Eklavya staff and their dependents, under which the concerned employee can claim against treatment incurred by him/her during his/her treatment or any of his/her family members who are dependent on him/her for which hospitalisation wasn’t required. This is maintained through a fund which was started by Eklavya members / staff in 1989, under which every staff who joins the organisation becomes member of this scheme and a token amount is deducted from his/her salary every month, asper slabs.

The claim of such medical expenses will be forwarded to the committee constituted by Eklavya group for this purpose and will be discussed and ratified in the Center meeting. The ceiling amount for such reimbursement is Rs. 7000/- during one financial year.

Retirement Benefits (Gratuity) for Staff up to age of 60 years:
A Gratuity is a lump sum payment given by the employer /organization. It is a mark of recognition of employee’s service. An employee gets gratuity at the time of retirement or leaving the job. The gratuity is given at the time of leaving the job / retiring of an employee who has completed continuous service of 5 years. For liabilities in respect of staff gratuity, Eklavya has entered into an agreement with the Life Insurance Corporation of India under their Group Gratuity Scheme for employees up to age of 60 years.

Employees Provident Fund:
PF is applicable to all Eklavya staff who are in Grade OR to the employee, as per the EPF rules, whose monthly salary is up-to Rs. 15000/-.

Employee’s contribution shall be 12 percent of pay which shall be deducted every month from the salary and an equal amount shall be contributed by Eklavya. The amount so deducted along with Eklavya’s contribution shall be deposited with the Regional Provident Fund Office as per rule. Other charges, if any, on this account shall be borne by Eklavya.

Rules pertaining to Employees’ Provident Fund
Contributions from employee as well as employer get added to the EPF However, the entire portion of contribution from an employer doesn’t go exclusively towards the Employees’ Provident Fund. The division of funds as of November 2015 is mentioned as follows:

1. 12% of Salary of Employee goes directly towards Employees’ Provident Fund.
2. 12% of Salary of Employer is divided as follows:

• 67 % of contribution towards Employees’ Provident Fund
• 15% of contribution towards EPF Administration Charges
• 5 % of contribution towards Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance
• 50% of contribution towards EDLI Administration Charges
• 33 % of contribution towards Employees’ Pension Scheme

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