New Delhi, May 24 (PTI) IT firms HCL and Tech Mahindra have expanded their efforts towards COVID-19 relief efforts for employees, including supporting dependents of deceased staff members.

HCL said its COVID Care Support initiatives involve providing assistance to meet immediate needs for employees and family members who test COVID positive. This includes access to COVID helplines and isolation facilities.

The Noida-based company has partnered with hospitals in Delhi, Noida, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow, Nagpur, Madurai, and Kolkata to provide employees easy access to treatment and isolation facilities, it said in a statement.

To support the dependents of employees who have lost their lives due to COVID, HCL has introduced a Family Assistance Programme, which includes a lump sum amount for the family, financial support for the deceased employees' school-going children, and medical insurance premium coverage for the dependents for two more policy terms.

Gratuity will be paid to employees' families, irrespective of defined minimum five-year continuous service eligibility criteria, it said.

"To ensure the deceased employees' family is cared for and have a financially secure future, HCL has decided to offer employment opportunities to the unemployed spouse or dependent children above the age of 18 years, basis their qualifications, open positions, and trainability," it added.

As India reels under the impact of the deadly second wave of coronavirus infections, several organisations across the spectrum have come forward to support the relief efforts to tackle the shortage of medical oxygen, beds, and other resources.

Tech Mahindra has also rolled out its 'COVID Support Policy' for families of employees succumbing to COVID. The special HR policy will provide job, learning, and development, and educational opportunities to immediate family members of employees who succumb/ have succumbed to COVID on or after April 1, 2020.

Tech Mahindra will offer job opportunities at the company for family members eligible to be employed based on the fulfillment of key criteria. It will also offer an opportunity to upskill through

Tech Mahindra Learning Resources and career counseling to enable the family to earn a sustainable income to support their livelihood.

The IT firm said it will reimburse education expenses up to standard 12th or equivalent for the children of the associate/s who have succumbed to COVID. These can be availed by immediate family (spouse, parents, children, and siblings up to 21 years of age).

"...as a part of our commitment towards helping the Tech Mahindra family and the society at large ride over these difficult times, we are rolling the 'COVID Support Policy' to ensure a sustainable income and livelihood for families of our associates who succumb/ or have succumbed to COVID," Tech Mahindra Global Chief People Officer and Head Marketing Harshvendra Soin said.

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