Tata Steel To Hire Transgender People Exclusively, As Heavy Earth Moving Machinery Operators

Tata Steel is seeking applications only from transgender people for the post of Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) operators (trainee) in its West Bokaro Division in Jharkhand. The steel giant is known for hiring employees from the LGBTQ+ community. The partners of these people are eligible for the HR benefits of the company.

In its job posting, the company stated, "Tata Steel, … India Workplace Equality Index certified (for LGBTQ+ inclusion) is looking for candidates (Transgenders only) for the position of HEMM Operator Trainee (Dumper, Drill Dozer, Excavator, Pay Loader, Crane etc,) for its coal division at West Bokaro, Ramgarh, Jharkhand."

Only those who have passed their Matriculation and are born between Sep 1, 1981, and Sep 1, 2003 are eligible for the job. The candidates will be evaluated through a written test, an interview and a practical orientation test. They will then have to go through certain medical examinations.

India Workplace Equality Index (IWEI) named the company as a Top Employer for LGBT+ inclusion. It is the country's first comprehensive benchmarking study that measures the efforts being made for LGBTQ+ inclusion. The company said in a press release that IWEI Top Employers is the definitive list which showcases the best employers in India for lesbian, gay, bi, trans employees, "Tata Steel's place as a Top Employer 2020 recognises the company's commitment to advancing equality for LGBT+ people," it added.

The steel manufacturer introduced a new human resource policy in 2019 which enabled its employees from the queer community to declare their partners and avail all HR benefits permissible under the law. By partners, it meant people of the same sex living like a married couple.

In 2017, Kochi Metro decided to bring 23 members from the transgender community to work in different departments. They were given employment in ticket counters, housekeeping teams and serving the passengers. Kerala is the first state in India that has introduced The Transgender Policy to make sure that the community doesn't face any sort of discrimination. It also held a sports meet for transgenders at the Thiruvananthapuram Central Stadium. Read more here.

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