Sonakshi is part of the firm’s Labour & Employment Practice, and she focuses on employment, labour and industrial laws and related issues, including privacy, data protection and compliance investigations as they relate to the workplace.
Over her last several years with JSA, Sonakshi has been advising domestic as well as overseas clients (in relation to their Indian subsidiaries) on all aspects of employment laws, including compliances, benefits, policies, termination, as well as confidentiality and non-compete obligations. She assists clients in conducting their disciplinary enquiries, including those related to misconduct and sexual harassment complaints. She routinely advises and guides clients on conducting large scale downsizing and reductions in workforce and assisting them with all the necessary paperwork, including termination letters, waivers and other release documentation, along-with preparing them on anticipated issues which may arise or with their day-to-day queries through the entire termination process.
Sonakshi also routinely advises on all matters in relation to Indian anti-harassment laws, including implementation of appropriate anti-harassment policies, conducting enquiries and appeal procedure, developing training modules and manner in which seminars and workshops are to be conducted for committee members and employees. She also advises on implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives, hiring, performance management and termination; leaves of absence and disability accommodations; hiring contingent workforce; intellectual property rights and trade secrets arising in employer and employee relationship; whistle-blower and retaliation issues; and workplace privacy and data security. She also advises clients with Indian maternity benefits, leaves and creche related compliance requirements.
A major portion of Sonakshi’s work involves working with clients to set up internal policies, procedures and implementing the same. This includes drafting all employment related documentation including various contracts with employees, employee handbooks, codes of conduct and related policies. She also assists with the human resources issues involved in major corporate transactions including asset and business transfers, modes of employee transfer, integration and other closing and post-closing activities related to such transactions.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Sonakshi has extensively advised clients on vaccination mandates, ensuring safety at workplace and employee related events and external gatherings, seeking medical data from employees while ensuring data privacy regulations are simultaneously complied with, global mobility etc.
While Sonakshi’s labour and employment advisory experience spreads pan-India, she regularly advises several IT/ ITES establishments in South India (with a focus on Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana) with their compliance requirements including with respect to work hours, overtime, employing women in night-shifts and related compliances, establishment opening hours and exemptions for IT/ ITES establishments on identified compliances, amongst others.
Awards and Recognition
BW Legal ‘Top 30 under 30’ Lawyer
Memberships
- Member, Employment and Industrial Relations Law
- Committee, International Bar Association
- Member, AIJA: International Association of Young Lawyers
Publications
- ‘Conflict of interest and bias in IC proceedings: Understanding employer’s responsibilities through case law analysis’ published in Economic Times HR.
- ‘Retrenchment and constructive dismissal in India: Tale of caution’ published in Economic Times HR.
- ‘Termination of Employment: Examining poor performance grounds and the need for a watertight contract’ published in Economic Times HR.
- ‘Work Culture In 2022: Hybrid Is The New Normal?’ published in Mondaq (Employment and HR – India Chapter)
- ‘Arbitrability of employment disputes in India’ published in Lexology.
- ‘Crèche Is Not Kid’s Play: Bridging Gaps – Crèche Facility Under The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017’ published in Live Law.
Education
School of Law, KIIT University
Languages
- English
- Hindi
- Odia
