TCS Nashik row: IT sector employees’ body demands POSH audit across tech firms in Maharashtra

IT sector employeesrsquo body NITES on Monday approached the Ministry of Labour and Employment seeking a detailed audit of POSH compliance in Tata Consultancy Services TCS and advocating for a wider statelevel audit across tech and ITES companies especially large multinational organisations in Maharashtra PTI reportedNITES seeks audit of POSH complianceThe letter to the labour ministry comes in the backdrop of charges of sexual harassment and allegations of forced religious conversion by eight female employees at TCSrsquo office in Nashik an incident that has drawn sharp scrutiny and raised serious concernsAccording to the news agency NITES urged the ministry to take ldquoimmediate and decisive actionrdquo by directing a comprehensive and timebound audit and inspectionTCS reiterates zerotolerance policyIndiarsquos largest IT services company said on Sunday that it has long maintained a zerotolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form confirming the suspension of employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at its Nashik officeCall for detailed review of internal mechanismsThe Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate NITES in a letter to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has called for a detailed audit of POSH Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the workplace compliance in TCS across all its establishments including the constitution independence and functioning of internal committeesThe IT employeesrsquo body has also demanded an examination of all complaints of sexual harassment received pending or disposed of within the organisation over the past several years along with the action taken It has also called for an assessment of the role and accountability of Human Resources personnel and senior management in handling complaints and ensuring a safe workplace PTI reportedIt further demanded ldquoverification of whether employees were discouraged from reporting complaints or subjected to retaliationrdquoDemand for wider statelevel auditNITES also highlighted the need for ldquoa wider statelevel audit of POSH compliance across IT and ITES companies operating in Maharashtra especially large multinational organisationsrdquoIt called for the issuance of strict directions to fix accountability on employers and management for failure to ensure a safe lawful and dignified workplaceEmployees deserve safe workplaces NITESldquoThe employees of this country contribute immensely to the growth of the IT sector and to the economy at large They deserve workplaces that are safe respectful and compliant with the lawrdquo NITES said PTI reportedIt added ldquoWe therefore request the ministry to treat this matter with utmost urgency and seriousness not only to address the present case but also to ensure that such incidents do not recur anywhere in the countryrdquoSIT probe and arrests in Nashik caseLast week police formed a Special Investigation Team SIT to probe complaints lodged by eight employees who alleged that senior colleagues mentally and sexually harassed them and that the Human Resources department turned a deaf ear to their complaints Police have since arrested seven people including the companyrsquos female HR managerCompany suspends accused cooperates with probeAccording to PTI the company said ldquoTCS has a longstanding zerotolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form We have always ensured the highest standards of safety and wellbeing of our employees at the workplace As soon as we were made aware of the matter in Nashik we took swift actionrdquoThe employees under investigation have been suspended pending inquiry the company spokesperson said adding that the firm is cooperating with local law enforcement authorities and that any further action will be based on the outcome of the investigationWith PTI inputs