Merlin Group of Companies is committed to provide work environment that ensures every employee is treated with dignity and respect and afforded equitable treatment. The Company is also committed in promoting a work environment that is conducive to the professional growth of its employees and encourages the Equality of Opportunity. The Company will not tolerate any form of Sexual Harassment and is committed to take all necessary steps to ensure that its employees are not subjected to any form of harassment.
This policy applies to all categories of employees of the Company, including Permanent, Temporary, Retainer, Trainee and Employees on Contract at their Work Place or at Project Sites. The Company will not tolerate Sexual Harassment, if engaged in by Clients or by Suppliers or by any other Business Associates of the Company.
Sexual harassment may be one or a series of incidents involving unsolicited and unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or any other verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature. Sexual Harassment at the workplace includes:
All Employees of the Company have a Personal Responsibility to ensure that their behavior is not contrary to this Policy. All Employees are encouraged to reinforce the maintenance of a Work Environment free from Sexual Harassment.
The Company, in any event, shall not be responsible for any loss and/or damage in any nature whatsoever, arising out of whether in contract or tort or otherwise which may be suffered by the user in connection with or arising out of use of the website or any Hyperlink either by way of loss of profits, loss of business opportunities, business interruption or loss of information etc.
An appropriate complaint mechanism in the form of “Complaints Committee” has been created in the Company for time-bound redressal of the complaint made by the victim.
The Company has instituted a Complaints Committee for Kolkata Head Office, Acropolis Shopping Mall, Princeton Club and Ibiza for Redressal of Sexual Harassment complaint (made by the victim) and for ensuring time bound treatment of such complaints.
Initially, and till further notice, the Internal Complaints Committee will comprise of the following:
The Company is committed to provide a supportive environment to resolve concerns of sexual harassment as under
Informal Resolution Options when an incident of sexual harassment occurs, the victim of such conduct can communicate their disapproval and objections immediately to the harasser and request the harasser to behave decently. If the harassment does not stop or if victim is not comfortable with addressing the harasser directly, the victim can bring their concern to the attention of the Complaints Committee for redressal of grievance. The Complaints Committee will thereafter provide advice or extend support as requested and will undertake prompt investigation to resolve the matter.
An employee with a harassment concern, who is not comfortable with the informal resolution options or has exhausted such options, may make a formal complaint to the Presiding Officer of the Complaints Committee constituted by the Management. The complaint shall have to be in writing and can be in form of a letter, preferably within 15 days from the date of occurrence of the alleged incident, sent in a sealed envelope. Alternately, the employee can send complaint through an email. The employee is required to disclose their name, department, division and location they are working in, to enable the Presiding Officer to contact them and take the matter forward.
The Presiding Officer of the Complaints Committee will proceed to determine whether the allegations (assuming them to be true only for the purpose of this determination) made in the complaint fall under the purview of Sexual Harassment, preferably within 30 days from receipt of the complaint. In the event, the allegation does not fall under the purview of Sexual Harassment or the allegation does not constitute an offence of Sexual Harassment, the Presiding Officer will record this finding with reasons and communicate the same to the complainant.
If the Presiding Officer of the Complaints Committee determines that the allegations constitute an act of sexual harassment, he/ she will proceed to investigate the allegation with the assistance of the Complaints Committee.
Where such conduct, on the part of the accused, amounts to a specific offence under the law, the Company shall initiate appropriate action in accordance with law by making a complaint with the appropriate authority.
The Complaints Committee shall conduct such investigations in a timely manner and shall submit a written report containing the findings and recommendations to the Managing Director of the Company as soon as practically possible and in any case, not later than 90 days from the date of receipt of the complaint. The MD will ensure corrective action on the recommendations of the Complaints Committee and keep the complainant informed of the same.
If the complaint is against any Committee Member, then Compliant should be sent to any other Member of the Committee.
The Company understands that it is difficult for the victim to come forward with a complaint of sexual harassment and recognizes the victim’s interest in keeping the matter confidential. To protect the interests of the victim, the accused person and others who may report incidents of sexual harassment, confidentiality will be maintained throughout the investigatory process to the extent practicable and appropriate under the circumstances.
All records of complaints, including contents of meetings, results of investigations and other relevant material will be kept confidential by the Company except where disclosure is required under disciplinary or other remedial processes.
The Company is committed to ensuring that no employee who brings forward a harassment concern is subject to any form of reprisal. Any reprisal will be subject to disciplinary action. The Company will ensure that the victim or witnesses are not victimized or discriminated against while dealing with complaints of Sexual Harassment. However, anyone who abuses the procedure (for example, by maliciously putting an allegation knowing it to be untrue) will be subject to adequate Disciplinary Action.
In conclusion, the Company reiterates its commitment to providing its employees, a Workplace free from Harassment/Discrimination and where every employee is treated with Dignity and Respect