Equal Opportunity Policy
ENLife Research Private Limited (“Company”) is committed to creating an inclusive, barrier-free, and equitable workplace. The Company affirms that it shall not discriminate against any person on the ground of disability in any aspect of employment, recruitment, or service delivery, and shall take all reasonable steps to promote the rights and full participation of persons with disabilities in its workplace.
This Policy is adopted in furtherance of the principles of equality, inclusion and non-discrimination reflected in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (“RPwD Act”) and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017 (“RPwD Rules”), and is consistent with the constitutional guarantees of equality and non-discrimination.
Scope
This Policy applies to:
(a) all employees, consultants, interns, and contract workers engaged by the Company;
(b) all applicants for employment or engagement with the Company;
(c) all persons interacting with the Company in its capacity as a service provider; and
(d) all third parties acting on behalf of the Company, to the extent reasonably practicable.
Definitions
In this Policy, unless the context otherwise requires:
“Disability” has the meaning assigned to it under Section 2(s) of the RPwD Act, and includes any of the 21 specified disabilities listed in the Schedule to the RPwD Act.
“Person with Disability (PwD)” means a person with a Disability as defined above.
“Equal Opportunity Officer (EOO)” means the officer designated by the Company to oversee the implementation of this Policy and discharge such functions as may be assigned under this Policy or applicable law.
“Reasonable Accommodation” means necessary and appropriate modifications and adjustments to enable a PwD to perform essential job functions, unless such accommodation imposes a disproportionate or undue burden on the Company.
“Barrier” means any factor — attitudinal, communicational, physical, policy-based, social, or technological — that
impedes the full and effective participation of a PwD.
Non-Discrimination
The Company shall not discriminate against any PwD on the ground of disability in relation to:
(a) recruitment, selection, and appointment;
(b) promotion, transfer, and career development;
(c) remuneration, benefits, and terms and conditions of employment;
(d) training and skill development opportunities;
(e) access to Company facilities and amenities; and
(f) termination of employment or engagement.
No job advertisement shall specify, expressly or by implication, that persons with a particular disability need not apply, unless the nature of the role renders a specific functional capability an essential requirement, in which case the Company shall document this determination in writing before advertising.
Selection criteria and assessment processes shall be reviewed to ensure they do not create unjustifiable barriers for PwDs.
The Company shall endeavour to ensure that recruitment and employment decisions are based on the essential requirements of the role and the principle of reasonable accommodation. Where required by applicable law, the Company shall identify and maintain a list of posts considered suitable for persons with disabilities, having regard to the nature of each role and any applicable accessibility standards.
Reasonable Accommodation
The Company shall provide reasonable accommodation to PwDs to enable them to perform their roles effectively and to access the workplace on an equal basis with others.
Accommodation measures may include, without limitation:
(a) modification of workstations, equipment, or physical workspace;
(b) flexible working hours or remote working arrangements;
(c) adjustment of job duties that are non-essential to the role;
(d) provision of assistive technology or communication support; and
(e) accessible formats for documents, training materials, and internal communications.
An employee or applicant requesting accommodation shall submit a written request to the EOO. The Company may request supporting medical or disability-related documentation where reasonably necessary to assess an accommodation request. The Company shall respond to such requests within a reasonable period or within such period as required by applicable law. Where an accommodation request is declined, the reasons shall be communicated in writing.
The Company shall not be required to provide accommodation that imposes an undue or disproportionate burden having regard to the Company’s size, resources, and the nature of its business at the relevant time.
The Company shall not, under any circumstances, require a person with disability to bear, wholly or partly, the cost of
any reasonable accommodation provided to them.
Workplace Accessibility
The Company shall endeavour to ensure that its workplace, systems, and digital infrastructure are progressively made accessible to PwDs, in accordance with the accessibility standards prescribed under the RPwD Rules and any applicable guidelines issued by the relevant authorities.
In particular, the Company shall, to the extent reasonably practicable given its stage of operations:
(a) ensure that office premises are accessible to persons with physical disabilities;
(b) make its website and internal digital tools accessible in accordance with applicable web accessibility standards; and
(c) provide accessible formats of key employment documents, including offer letters, policies, and HR communications, on request.
Recruitment And Selection
All job postings shall carry an equal opportunity statement affirming that the Company welcomes applications from PwDs.
Applicants with disabilities shall be informed of the availability of reasonable accommodation during the recruitment and selection process. Requests for accommodation shall be handled confidentially.
The Company shall endeavour to ensure that employees with disabilities have equal access to training, career development and promotion opportunities and shall consider reasonable accommodation requirements in relation to transfers, postings and advancement opportunities.
The Company shall, where required by applicable law, provide special leave to employees with disabilities for medical treatment, rehabilitation, and disability-related requirements, and shall give preference to such employees in transfers and postings to the extent compatible with operational requirements.
Records
The Company shall, where required or mandated by applicable law, maintain records relating to accommodation requests, accommodations provided and other information required for compliance with applicable law. Such records shall be maintained confidentially and in accordance with the Company’s applicable policies and legal obligations.
Grievance Redressal
The Company has designated an Equal Opportunity Officer (“EOO”) to oversee the implementation of this Policy, coordinate accommodation requests and address disability-related grievances.
Any employee, applicant, or other person who believes they have been subjected to discrimination on the ground of disability or that this Policy has not been complied with may submit a written complaint to the designated EOO. The EOO shall review and address complaints in a fair, confidential and timely manner and shall communicate the outcome to the complainant within a reasonable period.
The Company shall not subject any person to retaliation, victimisation, or adverse treatment for raising a complaint in good faith under this Policy.
A complainant who is dissatisfied with the outcome of the internal grievance process may approach the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities as per applicable law.
Confidentiality
All information relating to an employee’s disability status, accommodation requests, and grievances shall be maintained in strict confidence by the EOO and all persons involved in administering this Policy. Such information shall not be disclosed to any person within or outside the Company except:
(a) with the written consent of the concerned person;
(b) where required by applicable law or a court or regulatory order; or
(c) to the minimum extent necessary for providing the accommodation requested.
Disclosure of disability status by an employee is voluntary. Information so disclosed shall be treated as strictly confidential and used solely for the purposes of this Policy and compliance with applicable law.
Information relating to an individual’s disability status shall be collected, used, stored and disclosed only for employment administration, provision of reasonable accommodation, implementation of this Policy and compliance with applicable law.
Awareness And Training
The Company shall communicate this Policy to all employees and make it available on the Company’s intranet or notice board. The Company may include disability inclusion awareness as part of employee onboarding and may conduct periodic awareness initiatives from time to time.
Review And Amendment
The Company may review and amend this Policy from time to time to ensure continued compliance with applicable law and alignment with the Company’s operational requirements and inclusion objectives. Any amendment to this Policy shall be approved in accordance with the Company’s internal governance procedures