PERMANENT STAFF ONLY

AI offers 3 working-day week at 60% of salary

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:  20.06.2020

Air India will now give its permanent employees, except pilots and cabin crew, the option of a “shorter working week” where they will work three days a week at 60% pay. The scheme, applicable with immediate effect from Friday, is voluntary and can be opted for a year to begin with and extendable to two years, subject to the airline’s approval.AI has 13,000 permanent employees with a monthly wage bill of Rs 230 crore. The airline did not say what savings it expects from the move as the same will be known depending on how many employees opt for it. 

In another decision on Friday, the airline introduced a “special quarantine leave on exposure to Covid-19” where an employee, who has come in contact with an infected person — like crew of a flight on which a passenger tested positive — or has tested positive, will be immediately sent on home quarantine for 14 days as per airline/government advice. “Duration of home quarantine shall be 14 days from the date of contact with a confirmed case. He/ she shall be granted quarantine leave with pay for 14 days, which shall not be debited from his/ her leave account,” an office order said. Employees opting for shorter working week have been asked not to take up any other employment during the period they avail of this option.

“Since the employee opting for this scheme will be on the payrolls of the company, it is mandatory that (he/she) shall not take up any employment during the period, in addition to his/her job in the company. lf this condition is violated, disciplinary action (will be taken as per rules)

…..” Employees opting for this scheme will be required to work on any three days during the week.