Reserve Bank of India's HIV/AIDS policy

August 5, 2005

RBI leads from the front on HIV/AIDS policy

BANKING BUREAU. Posted online: Saturday, July 16, 2005 at 0000 hours

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MUMBAI, JULY 15: Setting an example, the Reserve Bank of India has

enunciated that its employees have the right to confidentiality

about their HIV/AIDS status and are not obliged to inform the

management about their HIV/AIDS status.

" Information of an employee's HIV status shall be kept confidential

and shall not be disclosed to any other person without the

employee's consent, " pronounced RBI in its HIV/AIDS workplace policy

statement issued on Friday. " As the central bank of the country, it

also seeks to catalyse similar enabling conditions in the banking

industry and indeed the country as a whole, " said the policy

document.

Further, the central bank has said that there will be no pre-

employment HIV/AIDS testing in RBI. " The bank will support and

promote the provision of Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) to

employees with regard to HIV/AIDS, " assured the RBI.

The bank will sensitise all employees regarding issues related to

HIV/AIDS and also provide information and education on ways of

preventing and controlling it. RBI will also set up a committee/s to

implement the HIV/AIDS policy, look into related issues, evolve

programmes and assess/suggest policy changes from time to time.

RBI employees living with HIV/AIDS shall be afforded the same rights

and privileges, and will have the same obligations, as all other

employees. Also employees will not be discriminated against in terms

of employment or advancement in employment, on the basis of their

actual or perceived HIV/AIDS status.

Employees with HIV/ AIDS will be managed in the same manner as those

with any other progressive or debilitating illness.

The apex bank has said it has an enduring commitment to being alive

and sensitive to the social, health and ethical issues confronting

its employees and their families. The RBI, the statement said,

recognises that HIV/AIDS is not only a health problem, but also an

issue that impacts productivity and well being of individuals in the

workplace.

RBI's response to HIV/AIDS provides the broad framework to handle

workplace and other related issues concerning the staff and their

families as well as situations that arise in the context of HIV/AIDS.

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