STRESS, SUCCESS AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN
The Highs and Lows of A Woman’s Journey in the Corporate World
When I
underwent a major surgery in 1976, a female officer from another local branch
was deputed to take care of the branch in my absence. Despite having two
brothers, one settled in Germany and the other in Delhi, her elderly parents
opted to reside with her as she was single and had sufficiently big
accommodation and a better living arrangement. Naturally, she assumed
responsibility for attending to their health and medical needs.
When
she submitted the bills for reimbursement of the medical expenses incurred for
the treatment of her parents, the Head Office rejected it, stating that the
parents cannot become dependents on their daughter. While there was no official
instruction to support this, the concerned officer refused to pay her claim on
the alibi that a woman officer is not entitled to reimbursement of medical
expenses incurred for her parents if they had a son.
To my
mind, this was impingement of a woman's right to take care of her parents. So I
decided to take up cudgels on her behalf. I personally visited the Head Office,
met the concerned officer and demanded to see the instructions justifying the
denial of payment of medical bills, if submitted by the daughter. He insisted
that a social norm did not require any laid-down instructions. He argued that
everything is not written in black and white. “If you submit your neighbour’s
medical bill, will you find instructions anywhere whether to pay it or not?” He
stated mocking me.
Undeterred, I met his senior and argued at various levels of the hierarchy. Finally, after a prolonged battle and numerous discussions, they agreed to refer the case to the Central Office.
It
took a few months before the Central Office finally responded and clarified
that the medical bills relating to the parents of a female employee could be
reimbursed if they were residing with her, irrespective of whether they had
sons. I felt satisfied I could get clarity on this important benefit for women employees.
If this had happened today, it would have made media headlines. But the social mindset was different fifty years ago. Any benefit claimed by women employees was seen with envy as male colleagues labelled them as double-engine couples. It was the common belief that by taking up a job, a woman had deprived a man of employment and thus ruined a family. The institution was full of people with such gender bias.
This
experience confirmed my belief that in navigating a world where women had never
ventured earlier, one would stumble upon recurrent roadblocks and require a
persistent fight for every inch of the space.
Do you remember what the Cheshire Cat had told me in my dream when I embarked on my journey in the corporate world? In case you do not remember the advice of the Cheshire Cat, please visit my earlier blog titled TIME TO JUMP OFF THE BOARD (1971)
https://ranjanabharij.blogspot.com/2023/08/8-stress-success-and-everything-in.html
(To be continued.....)
6 comments:
When I had joined service I was told off by a colleague that by taking up this job, I had deprived a man of earning a living. As though I was not earning a living!
The world was very biased and a woman had to keep fighting her case at every step.
Ranjana, your recounting these matters brings back memories of total discrimination, bias, hurtful words.
Very well written.
The fighter for a just cause; that's Ranjana Bharij n that's what makes her a shade better than others. My salute! -- Vijay Gupta
Proud of you! (Rajeshwar Kaushik)
Stupendous! Your struggles with the management/status quoists and success in overcoming their mindsets was/ is worth larger audiences. (KBS Bedi)
Great work especially against male bias in those days. Women like you paved the way for the women today. (Mamta Varma)
Very admirable and courageous to take cudgels on behalf of a female colleague. Very happy to observe that you succeeded. (P Pradeep Kumar)
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