Norms of availing PL during Notice period - I have an 82 PL balance

I have tendered my resignation from the position of Branch Manager in a Nationalized Bank through official mail on 22nd July 2022. Nobody ever tried to find out why I am resigning. I continued at the branch until the last day of July 2022. I took verbal permission to go on Privilege Leave from 1st August and applied for 1 month of PL through our Bank HR Package. Now, they are calling me daily, informing me that I have no right to avail leave during the notice period and asking me to seek permission from the Leave sanctioning Authority. I have genuine health issues. Do they have the right to reject my leave application? I have an 82 PL balance.

As a branch manager, it is expected that you possess managerial powers, and therefore, you will not be protected by the Industrial Disputes Act. Additionally, being part of a public sector unit, your organization should have its own service rules that clearly outline the procedures regarding paid leave during the notice period. Any objections raised by the authorities stating that you are not allowed to take eligible leave for genuine reasons should be taken very seriously.

It appears from the original post that you have an improper relationship with bank management. Being the Branch Manager of a nationalized bank, you know better than anyone that just applying for leave in HRMS is not sufficient. Until the leave sanctioning authority approves the applied leave, it holds no value.

If you have a genuine health reason, please submit the necessary documentation to the bank authority - hospitalization-related papers, if any, doctor's prescription, and advice stating that you need to rest, etc. Otherwise, it will seem like you are intentionally absent without leave approval.

Sanctioning paid leave (PL) falls under the jurisdiction of the higher authority, especially when you have already submitted your paperwork. However, for a genuine medical emergency, I hope the sanctioning authority will consider your situation differently and possibly approve your leave.

S K Bandyopadhyay (WB, Howrah)