This Company Will Allow Their LGBTQ+ Employees To Avail HR Benefits On Declaring Their Partner

On 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court decriminalised homosexuality and yet our society is homophobic. But, there is hope that one day it will become LGBTQ+ tolerant and will not corner someone simply because of their gender identity or gender dysphoria.

Monday, 9 December was a happy day for LGBTQ+ employees working in Tata Steel as the company introduced a new human resource policy that will let its LGBTQ+ community declare their partners and avail all HR benefits permissible under the law.

Tata Steel mentioned in a statement that the novel policy was implemented with an aim to provide equal opportunity to the employees and it was also an attempt of the steel giant to create an efficient workforce for all diverse groups and make the office space more inclusive. Not only that, but the company will also look forward to respect and embrace the differences in individuals. The statement also mentioned that "Partners mean people of same-sex living like a married couple."

On their official page on Twitter, it shared a post that said, "A pioneer in #diversity & #inclusion space, we're an #equalopportunity employer where every stakeholder is respected & every voice is heard. Our new HR policy will enable LGBTQ+ employees to declare their partners & avail a host of HR benefits."

A pioneer in #diversity & #inclusion space, we're an #equalopportunity employer where every stakeholder is respected & every voice is heard. Our new HR policy will enable LGBTQ+ employees to declare their partners & avail a host of HR benefits.
Read more: https://t.co/HYgAdlrFSZ pic.twitter.com/jdQuUyZ0Ct

— Tata Steel (@TataSteelLtd) December 9, 2019

Tata Steel employees and their partners will be able to avail a host of benefits including health check-up, medical facilities, adoption leave, new-born parent and child care leave, and inclusion in employee assistance programme (EAP), under the expanded diversity and inclusion (D&I) policy.

Also, the employees receive financial assistance in case they opt for gender reassignment surgery and 30 days of special leave for the same. The company also said that they will also be eligible for Tata Executive Holiday Plan (TEHP), honeymoon package and domestic travel coverage for new employees.

The same statement also mentioned that "The company's vision is to be a world-class equal opportunity employer where everyone is respected and every voice is heard. It is a constant endeavour of the company to create an enabling workplace for all diverse groups, respecting and embracing the differences in the individuals."

What's more? The company added that their policy also entitles the LGBTQ+ employees to be equally eligible for participating in any official gathering or an offshore corporate event, where previously "only spouses of the opposite gender were included".