HIV+ employee sues Cadila Pharma for discrimination

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HIV+ employee sues firm for discrimination

Joydeep Ray, Friday, May 2, 2008 (Ahmedabad)

A driver sacked by multinational drug firm for being HIV positive has

now taken his employers to court.

This is likely to become a test case for corporate India and whether

it can treat people living with HIV-Aids without bias.

Three years ago, Sishupal Bhadoriya, a driver, was thrown out his job

as a driver by Cadila Pharma because he was HIV positive. Ironically,

Cadila manufactures AIDS drugs.

Bhadoriya, who has three children, says he is worried about their

survival.

''For three months I ran from pillar to the post of the company

asking them to reinstate me, even give me a job away from others.

They did not even bother to talk to me, the top brass been

unreachable. I hope to get justice now, may be from God,'' says

Bhadoriya.

''Bhadoriya was unwell for three months after being diagnosed as HIV

Positive. There was a wound on his hand that was not healing and

looked scary. He went on long leave and later, resigned,'' says

spokesperson of Cadilla Pharma.

However, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), office

colleagues face no risk from a positive person if adequate

precautions are taken, and the wound is treated. Bhadoriya denies

resigning from his job.

''There are few cases where employees who were found HIV Positive and

thrown out by their employers, courts have given ruling against

discrimination by employers. We will be using those cases as

precedences in Shishupal's case,'' says Shailaja Pillai, an advocate

at the Gujarat High Court.

Experts say the long-pending HIV Bill must be tabled in Parliament so

that there is a proper policy and legal guidelines in place to

protect the interests of employees like Shishupal.

It would also help the corporate employer to gain clarity on how to

handle these cases.

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080048590 & ch=5/2/2008%\

2011:47:00%20AM

The contact address of the Cadila.

Corporate & Registered Office

CADILA CORPORATE CAMPUS

Sarkhej-Dholka Road,

Bhat, Ahmedabad-382 210, INDIA.

Phone : +91-2718-225001 (15 Lines)

Fax :+91-2718-225039

e-mail : website@...