About two weeks back S a lady of about 40 years of age, wife of a friend of mine, mother of two girls including one appearing for her 10th standard exams was returning home from a party at Madh Island in Mumbai, India. The party went on till about the wee hours and it was about 6 am when she was riding on a two wheeler of one of her colleagues.
S was a process trainer in one of the leading call center BPOs. And it was the norm to throw a party by the BPO every quarter and all employees were expected to attend and ‘bond’ with each other.
While coming back…after probably one too many by the youngster who was ferrying her home, they had a fall and she injured her skull with a deep fracture. Bottom line is that she is in coma for the last 3 weeks. And no one know when she will come out of it.
Her daughter appearing for her 10th had to do so under such trying circumstances. The lack of medical facilities has left the family facing financial difficulties. When she will come out of coma is anybody’s guess.
Sorry for the sad part.
But the issue really is….what is the employer’s responsibility? If this were the US the employer would be sued for organizing a party and serving alcohol till the wee hours, to probably youngster who did not have the official permit to drink, and sending them home in two wheelers without helmets.
But it is Party time folks in BPO land. And such small incidences be damned.
