Chapter 5: Staff and Office Rules
5.1. All staff of CFTS Ltd/CMC/CG must remember at all times that they are representatives of the
Company and that it will be judged by the way they look, act and talk. Similarly we will be judged by the
cleanliness and order in our offices, and by the quality of service provided to our clients. Most important,
we will be judged by our honesty. Corruption of all kinds surrounds us; but a corrupt private financial
institution cannot survive for long. We must make every effort to prevent the cancer of corruption
from infecting CFTS/CMC/CG. The following are some obvious but important rules that should be
followed:
5.1.1. Relationship with Clients & the Public;
5.1.2. Remembering and being guided by our vision and mission statements;
5.1.3. Vision: we see the day when all women living in poverty in eastern UP and Bihar, have access to
sustainable financial services, and many of them are making use of these to lift their families out of poverty
and to improve their social position.
5.1.4 Mission Statement: to provide sustainable financial services to poor women in a
timely, honest, and efficient manner.
5.2.
Clients and potential clients, and indeed everyone you meet in the course of your
Work, are to be treated with respect, politeness and honesty.
5. 2.1 Satisfaction of clients and the continuous recruitment of new clients are essential.
for the successful performance of the Company’s mission. In addition, staff are
required to remember that the Company is prospering because of our clients, and
treat them as our partners.
5.2.2. Staff are not permitted to accept anything personally from clients and potential
clients, not even a drink of water. Violation of this rule will attract disciplinary
action.
5.2.3
Staff are not permitted to enter into any personal, social or business relations with
clients or potential clients, without getting prior written permission from the
Managing Director. Violation of this rule will attract disciplinary action.
5.2.4. Staff are to motivate potential clients who are afraid to become clients, by trying
to open their eyes and those of their husbands, to the good opportunity that we are
providing for them, to lift their family out of poverty through their own efforts.
However, staffs are not permitted to give any material inducement to clients to
participate in the program. Nor can they use any pressure or force. Violation of
this rule will attract disciplinary action.
5.2.5.
While on duty always dress smartly and neatly.
5.2.6.
Keep your personal appearance neat and tidy.
5.2.7.
In all other ways ensure that your conduct is beyond reproach.
5.2.8.
Do what you can to assist persons you find in distress, particularly poor women.
5.2.9. Even off duty, especially at the beginning of your work in a new location, keep in mind that you
are being observed, and the Company’s status/reputation is adjudged by your behavior both on and off the
job. Any staff member who is involved in any activity, which brings the Company into disrepute, will
be automatically dismissed. Violent acts of any kind, including verbal abuse of clients, the public or
fellow staff also will attract strict disciplinary action.
5.2.10. Staffs with grievances of any kind toward the Company or its officers are required to place them
before their immediate supervisor. If satisfactory remedial steps are not found, staffs are permitted to write
to the Managing Director or to contact him through the Company’s Internet e-mail at cashpor@sify.com.
You will be answered as soon as possible. Staff will/must not be penalized in any way for raising legitimate
grievances.
5.2.11. All work in the Company is to be done according to the laid down directions/procedures for it in
the CG Operations Manual (OM). Violations of procedures laid down in the Manual will result in
disciplinary action. Staff aware of violations on the part of other staff is required to bring them to the
attention of their supervisor or the Managing Director. Amendments to the OM will be made through Staff
Circular. These Circulars should be inserted into the appropriate place in the OM. It is a requirement that
the OM of each staff member should be up-to-date at all times.
5.2.12. All staff are to strive to avoid the temptation to cover-up their mistakes. Problems covered-up are
not solved and likely will arise again in a worse form. It is realized by the Company that anyone can make
a mistake. Problems arising from mistakes should be faced squarely and honestly. Nobody will be punished
for honest/bonafide mistakes; but nobody should make/repeat the same mistake twice.
5.2.13. All staff are encouraged to think continually of ways to improve the Company’s financial products
and service to our clients, as well as our institutional efficiency and financial performance. Staff can write
to the Managing Director directly, or e-mail him through cashpor@sify.com, if they think they have a good
idea. Staff ideas adopted by the Company will result in a letter of commendation from the
Chairman/Managing Director a copy of which will go into the personal file of the staff member, plus a
monetary reward if the idea saves the Company’s money or otherwise improves our efficiency or financial
performance.
5.3 Relationships with Fellow Staff:
5.3.1. Fellow staff members are to be treated with same degree of courtesy, politeness
and honesty with which you would like to be treated.
5.3.2. Female staff members are to be treated with respect and dignity and equality in all work of the
Company.
5.3.3. Superior staff are to be treated with respect and decorum. Every effort should be made by
subordinate staff to assist them in their work
5.3.4. Subordinate staff are to be treated with respect and dignity. They are not personal servants of their
superior staff. A strict line should be drawn in between official work and personal affairs. Subordinate staff
cannot be required to assist in the personal affairs of their superiors, nor can they be punished if they refuse.
5.3.5. That the incidents of illicit relations with co-workers/sexual harassment of colleagues will be viewed
seriously and in case of reported/unreported incidents, the staff involved will expose themselves for strict
disciplinary action.
5.3.6. Staff must inform the Managing Director in writing, with a copy to their immediate supervisor
about his/her near relatives/blood relation working in the Company and/or applying for work in the
Company. There is no rule against relatives working in the Company, but we must be informed.
5.3.7. Supervisory staff involved in preparing Staff Evaluation Reports on their subordinate staff are
required to be honest and conscientious in doing so. It is an offence in the eyes of the Company that will
result in disciplinary action, to give false information or opinion in such reports.
5.4.
Important Financial Rules: All staff must be aware at all times that CFTS/CMC/CG is a
financial company and that money is our product. Utmost care must be taken in handling it. Surprise
checks will be carried out at any time by one’s supervisors and the Internal Audit Department. These are
not to be taken personally, and full co-operation is to be given to them, as such checks by them are essential
in a financial institution. Staff who do not give full co-operation with officials who conduct surprise
visits or internal/Statutory audit visits or do not provide requested documents in reasonable time,
will invite disciplinary proceedings against them. To ensure that you are not in violation of any
important financial rules, observe the following:
5.4.1. Daily closing of cash, bank and transfer voucher books is to be practiced by all offices in the
Company by the officer-in-charge. It is the responsibility of their immediate supervisors to conduct surprise
checks frequently to ensure that this is being done, and that cash in the box matches with the figure in the
cash book, that the denominations match those in the Vault Register, and that the cash box keys are with
the persons named in the Key Register. Officers–in-charge are to be required immediately to make-up
any difference from their own funds, and the matter is to be reported to the next superior officer as
soon as possible. Failure of the officer-in-charge to make up the difference by the end of the day will
result invite initiation of disciplinary proceedings.
1.2.2
5.4.2. Staff Undertaking: All staff on the new Staff Benefit Scheme (SBS) have signed the
undertaking printed below:
CASHPOR INDIA GROUP STAFF UNDERTAKING
As a staff member of the CASHPOR India Group and in return for the improved Staff Benefit
Scheme, I undertake the following:
1.
To familiarize myself with my Job Description and the Group’s Operations Manual.
2.
To carryout my responsibilities with care, diligence and thoroughness, according to my Job
Description and the Operations Manual., and to obey its Staff and Office Rules.
3.
To supervise subordinate staff, if any, systematically and thoroughly to ensure that instructions
given are actually carried out, and in ways consistent with the procedures and internal controls
outlined in the Operations Manual.
4.
To be honest and sincere in all my work, to set a good example so as to build continuously the
public image of CASHPOR India, and to do nothing that would detract from its goodwill.
5.
To assist in whatever other ways I can, the companies in the Group to realize our Vision and
Mission of reducing poverty by providing timely and honest access to microfinance services to
large numbers of BPL households, in an efficient and financially-sustainable manner.
6.
To take responsibility over and to reimburse the Company for any embezzlement of Company or
client funds by myself or any staff under my direct or indirect supervision.
7.
In accepting the improved Staff Benefit Scheme, I understand any material violation of the
Undertaking will be deemed to be misconduct that, if proven, will result in punishment as
permitted under the appropriate Standing Orders.
Signed:__________________________ Date:____________
Name of Staff Member:______________________________
Id. No. of the staff:__________________________________
Position:__________________________________________
Present place of Posting:_____________________________
Newly recruited staff is required to sign the undertaking before commencing any work for the Company. In
cases of embezzlement of Company or client funds by staff, the supervisor and his/her supervisor must
inform the Managing Director by telephone (0542) 333 8416, and take immediate action to recover the
monies. To the degree that they are unsuccessful, they must share the responsibility, according to the ratio
of their basic salaries, and commence payment (which can be in reasonable installments if necessary),
which must be completed in all cases by the date of the next Statutory Audit. The relevant District InCharge is responsible for recovery of the funds by the Company, with the MD taking on this responsibility
for District In-charge and higher-level supervisory. We also need to give the list of those staff from whom
any amount is recoverable so that they may check whether it is being recovered or not.
5.4.3. No Cash Policy: In general, staff is not allowed to handle cash in their work.
Disbursements must be by cheque, and collections should be deposited in the Company’s
bank accounts by the clients or their representatives. Specific exemptions, if any, must be
given in writing by the Managing Director, and should not extend beyond the current
Fiscal Year, must be given.
5.4.4. No staff member is allowed to keep/carry Company’s money over night.
Violation of this rule will result in serious disciplinary action.
5.4.5. Any misuse of Company or client’s money is considered a serious offence
that will result in dismissal. Use of client’s money without their agreement and
signature is a similar offence.
5.4.6. Errors in Company financial books and documents are not to be erased, writtenover or covered with “whitener” or in any other way. They must be crossed out neatly
with two parallel lines, the correct figure must be written clearly nearby and the initials of
the person making the correction must be affixed.
5.4.7. CDS from village-based Center Meetings must have the same totals as the
temporary receipts left in the village, and cannot be altered in any way by CM after they
have left the village. Only the Branch Manager/Unit Supervisor, who must sign and
stamp both sheets accordingly, can make corrections. One of the corrected copies is to be
returned to the Center at its next meeting, with the correction(s) being incorporated in it.
The temporary receipt is to be destroyed when the corrected official receipt is handed
over to the Group Chairperson.
5.4.8. The general ledger and all subsidiary ledgers are to be up-dated and balanced
daily. Failure to keep account books up-to-date is a serious offence that will result in
disciplinary action.
5.4.9. All other financial procedures and internal controls of the Company, as listed in
Chapter 4, are to be followed strictly. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action.
5.5. Office Rules: Perceptions of respectability and soundness of a financial company
are reflected to a considerable degree by what its offices look like and how they are kept.
All offices of the Company are to be neat and tidy at all times, including the toilets,
which are to be clean, supplied with water and functioning and well lit. Every office is
required to have a toilet for its exclusive use. Buildings cannot be taken on rent by the
Company, if they don’t have a toilet for the exclusive use of the staff.
5.5.1. Each office of the Company is required to have a clearly readable external
signboard in a prominent place, giving the name of the Company and the office, its
address and telephone number, if any, along with office timings.
5.5.2. Members of the public or clients coming into the office are to be treated
courteously, and helped if possible.
5.5.3. Office furniture and equipment must be used with care, kept clean and maintained
in good working order. Damage or loss caused by negligence of the staff must be paid by
them.
5.5.4. Office Notice Boards should be placed in a prominent position by which staff
passes frequently, and kept up-to-date. The Company’s vision and mission statements in
Hindi and English, in good condition, should be displayed, along with a copy of our
Company’s registration certificate and Section 25 license. A section of the Notice Board
should be reserved and marked for current Staff Circulars. Current ones should replace
old circulars. Another section should be reserved and marked for Monitoring Reports. It
should contain information as of the end of the previous month displaying the number of
Active Loan clients, Total Loans Outstanding, Interest Income and Portfolio at Risk,
compared to Quarterly Targets from the Business Plan. In addition, a complete list of
Center Meetings, showing the day, time, village name, CM in-charge and number of
Groups should be posted. A copy of this Operations Manual in English & Hindi should
be kept in a prominent place in the office, for consultation by the staff. And there should
be an up-to-date organization chart of the office, with a photo of each staff member.
Branch and Office Managers are required to keep their Notice Boards complete, neat,
tidy and up-to-date.
5.5.5. Staff tables should be cleared at the end of the day, with all account books and
other documents stored neatly in their proper place.
5.5.6. Staff members are expected to stand-up by their work places and are prepared to
identify themselves and to discuss their work, when a senior officer of the Company
visits their office. Staff members must be able to recite from memory the vision and
mission statements of the Company. They must know also the current quarterly targets of
their branch/office, and its financial break-even.
5.5.7. Office supplies and utilities, like water supply and electricity, are to be used with
economy. Remember that these are costs of operation of your branch/office, and that
excessive use will delay your financial break-even.
5.5.8. None should smoke in Company’s offices and while on duty. Signs thanking
people for not smoking should be prominently displayed in all branches and offices. Each
office should be equipped with a fire extinguisher for electrical fires. It should be
maintained in good working order, and all staff should be trained to use it. Each office
should be equipped with a torch and batteries to be used for emergencies during power
failures at night.
5.5.9. No business other than the Company’s business is to be conducted in its offices.
5.6.
Disciplinary Procedures:
5.6.1. Non-compliance of these staff and office rules, procedures framed in Operations
Manual in general or with any other notified procedures or rules of the Company from
time to time will result in suitable disciplinary action against the staff member by the
appropriate officer(s) of the Company. Such disciplinary action must comply fully with
the UP Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Rules 1946, as amended subsequently.
(Ref. Labor Laws in UP, Vol. II, 1281-6)
5.6.1.1 Acts or omissions constituting misconduct:
1) Willful insubordination or disobedience whether alone or in other combination with another
or others of any lawful and reasonable order of a superior.
2) Striking work or adopting go slow pen down strike either singly or with any other employee
without giving due notice prescribed by any law for the time being in force.
3) Inciting, whilst in the establishment, any officer/ or employee to strike work.
4) Theft, fraud or dishonesty or misappropriations in connection with the employer’s business or
property or property belonging to other employees.
5) Taking or giving bribe or any illegal gratification from subordinate/guest/clients/customers of
the establishment.
6) Habitual absence without leave or absence without leave for more than three consecutive
days.
7) Late attendance repeated on not less than three occasions within three months.
8) The collection or canvassing for the collection of any moneys whatsoever for purpose not
authorized by the employer within the premises of the industrial establishment.
9) Drunkenness, fighting, riotous or disorderly behavior or conduct likely to cause a breach of
the peace or conduct endangering the life of safety of any other person or any act subversive
of discipline and efficiency and any act involving moral turpitude, committed within the
establishment or outside.
10) Negligence or neglect of work repeated on not less than three occasions within six months.
11) Indiscipline or breach of any rules or instructions for the maintenance and running of any
department or maintaining its cleanliness, repeated on not less than three occasions within six
months.
12) Smoking within the premises of the industrial establishment except in places where smoking
is permitted.
13) Damage to work in process or to any other property of the industrial establishment.
14) Failure to observe safety instructions, unauthorized removal, interference or damage to
machinery, guards, fencing and other safety device installed in premises of the industrial
establishment.
15) Distributing or exhibiting inside the premises of the industrial establishment any news papers,
handbills, pamphlets or posters without the previous sanction of the employer.
16) Refusal to work on another machine of same type.
17) Holding meetings inside the premises of the industrial establishment without the previous
sanction of the employer.
18) Threatening or intimidating any employee in the establishment.
19) Disclosing to an unauthorized person any information in the regard to the working process of
the establishment, which comes in to the possession of an employee/officer during the course
of his work.
20) Gambling within the premises of the industrial establishment.
21) The sale of canvassing for the sale of tickets or chance in any lotteries or raffles within the
premises of the industrial establishment.
22) The sale or canvassing for the sale of any commodity within the premises of the industrial
establishment.
23) The sale or canvassing for the sale of tickets, coupons or other tokens in connection with any
scheme for the sale of any commodity or article within the premises of the industrial
establishment, without the previous sanction of the employer.
24) Sleeping while on duty.
25) Insubordination, malingering, deliberates, delaying of carrying out of order.
26) Any habitual breach of standing orders.
Explanation: - No act of misconduct which is committed on less than three occasions within the
space of one year or a lesser period shall be treated as habitual. Acts or omissions as applicable by
Certified Standing Orders of the company would apply on all the Employees of CG beyond above
act or omissions.
5.6.1.2 Penalties for misconduct:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Any workman who is adjudged by the employer on examination of the workman, if the present,
and of the facts to be guilty of misconduct is liable to be summarily dismissed without notice or
compensation in lieu of notice, or alternatively to be suspended for a period not exceeding four
days.
The order of dismissal and suspension shall be in writing and must also briefly mention the reason
on which it is based. The written order of dismissal and suspension shall be communicated to the
workman.
No order of dismissal or suspension under standing order 23(a) for misconduct shall be made
unless the workman concerned, if present, is informed in writing of the misconduct alleged against
him and is given an opportunity to explain the circumstances alleged against him. The explanation
given by the workman shall be reduced to writing and he shall be given an opportunity to produce
evidence in his defence.
In awarding any punishment under this standing order, the employer shall take into account the
previous record, if any, of the workman and any other extenuating circumstances that may exist.
5.6.1.2.1 All cases of alleged misconduct by staff will be considered by the relevant
Disciplinary Authorities /Appellate/Reviewing Authorities for different categories of
staff, as appointed by HRD.
5.6.1.3 Principles of Natural Justice: all disciplinary action taken by the Company must
follow the Principles of Natural Justice, including the right to the delinquent to know the
charges and evidence against them and the right to be heard and represented.
5.6.1.3.1. Any staff member who is adjudged by the Company's Disciplinary Authority
on examination of the person, if present, and of the facts to be guilty of misconduct is
liable to be summarily dismissed without notice or compensation in lieu of notice, or
alternatively to be suspended for a period not exceeding four days.
5.6.1.3.2. The order of dismissal and suspension shall be in writing and must also briefly
mention the reason on which it is based. The written order of dismissal and suspension
shall be communicated to the staff member concerned.
5.6.1.3.3. No order of dismissal or suspension under para 5.6.1.2.1 above for misconduct
shall be made unless the staff member concerned, if present, is informed in writing of the
misconduct alleged against him/her and is given an opportunity (show cause) to explain
the circumstances alleged against him/her. The explanation given by the staff member
shall be reduced to writing and he/she shall be given an opportunity to produce evidence
in his/her defence.
5.6.1.3.4. In awarding any punishment, the Disciplinary Authority will take into account
the previous record, if any, of the staff member and any other extenuating circumstances
that may exist.
5.6.2. Acts or omissions for which censure notice or fines may be imposed;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Workman may be fined or alternatively be given a censure or warning notice if found guilty of any
of the above noted acts or omissions provided that for offences under standing order 24 (b) and
standing order 24 (d) a censure or warning notice only may be issued.
Late attendance or absence from duty without leave, without sufficient cause.
Negligence in work or neglect of work.
Entering or leaving the premises of the industrial establishment except by the gate or gates
provided for the purpose.
Absence without leave or without sufficient cause from appointed place of work or machine.
Breach of any rules or instructions for the maintenance and running of any department and
maintaining its cleanliness.
7. Expectorating or otherwise committing a nuisance on the premises of the
commertial establishment.
Any act or omission which is committed on three occasions within the space of one
year or a lesser period shall be treated as "habitual".
5.6.2.1. Fines may be imposed only by a Disciplinary Authority of the Company, after
following the procedures outlined above for dealing with cases of alleged misconduct.
5.6.2.2. Notices of Censure may be issued by the Chairman, Managing Director, Heads
of Departments, District In-charge, Area/Unit Supervisors and Branch Managers to their
subordinate staff, provided they are in writing and only after the staff member concerned
has been given an opportunity of explaining the act or omission alleged against him/her.
The explanation of the staff member must be reduced to writing and he/she should be
given an opportunity to produce evidence in his/her defence.
5.6.2.3. Summary suspension pending enquiry into alleged misconduct.
5.6.2.3.1 Where a disciplinary proceeding against a staff member is contemplated or is pending or where
criminal proceedings against him/her in respect of any offence under the Standing Orders are under
investigation or trial and the Company is satisfied that it is necessary or desirable to place the staff member
under suspension it may by order in writing suspend him/her with effect from such date as may be specified
in the order. A statement setting out in detail the reasons for such suspension shall be supplied to the staff
member within a week from the date of suspension. The initial period of suspension must not exceed ninety
days.
5.6.2.3.2 A staff member who is placed under suspension under para 5.6.2.4 above shall, during the period
of suspension, be paid subsistence allowance equal to one-half of the basic wages, dearness allowance and
other compensatory allowances to which the staff member would have been entitled if he/she were on leave
with wages.
No other allowances such as Productivity bonus, conveyance allowance/depreciation etc. which are directly
related to performance of duties are payable during suspension.
5.6.2.3.3 If on the conclusion of the enquiry or of the criminal proceedings, the staff member has been
found guilty of the charges framed against him/her and it is considered, after giving the staff member
concerned a reasonable opportunity of making representation on the penalty proposed, that an order of
dismissal or fine or reduction in rank whichever would meet the ends of justice, the company may pass the
order accordingly.
5.6.2.3.4 When an order of dismissal is served under Para 5.6.2.3.3 above, the staff member shall be
deemed to have been absent from duty during the period of suspension and shall not be entitled to any
further remuneration for such period. The subsistence allowance already paid to him/her shall not be
recovered.
5.6.2.3.5 The payment of subsistence allowance under the Standing Orders shall be subject to the staff
member not taking up any employment during the suspension period. The suspended employee is to submit
a declaration that he has not taken up any employment during suspension period.
5.6.2.3.6 If on the conclusion of the enquiry or of the criminal proceedings, as the case may be, the staff
member has not been found to be guilty of any of the charges framed against him/her, the management may
consider the period of suspension as period spent on duty and in that case, he/she shall be entitled to the
same wages as he/she would have received had he/she not been placed under suspension. However, the
subsistence allowance paid to him/her for such period shall be deducted from the arrears to be payable, if
any.