Ahetesham Ahmed A. Thaver is an Associate Partner in the employment team at ALMT Legal. He has been with the firm since 2016 as an Associate, prior to which he worked with ALMT Legal as a Paralegal since 2015.
Ahetesham specialises in Labour & Employment laws and has worked on a number of matters relating to employee disputes, employment documentation including structuring company policies, workforce restructuring including implementing terminations and closure of undertaking, data privacy laws and other employment advisory matters. Ahetesham has also worked on a number of matters on Intellectual Property laws and general corporate advisory matters.
His expertise in the employment law has been largely derived from advising several multinational companies on all aspects of Indian employment laws, which include drafting employment agreements, human resource manuals and policies and advising clients on all legal and practical issues arising out of the employment or engagement of employees, directors and independent contractors, dispute matters between employers and employees and sexual harassment laws in India.
RECENT EXPERIENCE
In his areas of expertise, Ahetesham has represented and advised the following clients:
- An international client which is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide and its Indian subsidiary on a review and analysis of all their employment and other human resource and company policies, both global and specific to India. The project included review and advice on over 40 polices dealing with conditions of work, employment terms, sexual harassment, anti-bribery, whistleblowing, health and safety, flexible hours, maternity benefits, grooming and client care and others;
- A leading multinational software company on reduction in workforce, employment law queries such as requirement of payment of bonus, compliance under sexual harassment laws and closure of undertaking. Also, advised on the provisions relating to conciliation proceedings, powers of the conciliation officers and powers of the Labour Court under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and represented the clients in the conciliation proceedings;
- A British company in preparing a survey report on employment laws in India, immigration requirements, engaging consultants and the background check requirements in India;
- A leading IT company on the law relating to working hours in India and implications of providing flexible working options. Assisted the clients in drafting a flexible working options policy;
- A leading multinational IT company and a global leader in data storage solutions on the provisions of Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 in relation to termination of employment of women employees during pregnancy;
- A leading manufacturer of drugs, pharmaceuticals and diagnostics products having operations in India, about the applicable employment laws and the specific compliances therein such as registrations, employee hiring procedures, employment contracts, methods of termination of employment, social security measures and health and safety measures as well as review of employment offer letter and employment contract;
- A leading media and entertainment company on the applicable provisions relating to retrenchment and the ‘last in, first out’ principle under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947;
- A Canadian firm in preparing a presentation giving an overview on the application process and related regulations applicable to employment, dependant and journalist visas for foreign nationals coming to India;
- A leading portfolio advisory company on the law governing disciplinary proceedings in India and assisting the clients in holding the disciplinary proceedings and preparing requisite documents;
- A global organisation on the provisions of Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 relating to its applicability, requirement of obtaining license and other compliance obligations therein on a contractor. Also, advised the clients on the alternative models that can be taken into consideration for the contracting business plan of the clients;
- An international group of multispecialty hospitals for their newly set up hospital in Nagpur on the employment laws and drafting employee handbook, sexual harassment policy, guidance notes for the members of the Internal Complaints Committee and the company in regards to the compliance under the sexual harassment laws, memo on termination of employees in India, data privacy policy, employment agreement for various kinds of employees, retainer agreement to be entered into with doctors/medical consultants; and
- Several clients on the compliance under sexual harassment laws and creating awareness at the workplace including preparing and conducting training sessions for the Internal Complaints Committee members, the Human Resource department and the management staff.
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
- Member of the Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa
- Member of Inter-Pacific Bar Association
QUALIFICATIONS
- LLB., University of Mumbai
AWARDS
- Ahetesham has been recognised and ranked as ‘Rising Star’ by the Legal500 in 2020 – https://www.legal500.com/c/india/labour-and-employment/
