Cisco is making a "one-off payment" of about Rs.63.5 crore to support staff in India during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Reports states, the company is providing a 'crisis financial assistance' under which employees in the country are provided Rs.50,000 each. The company is also offering additional paid leaves for volunteering work, vaccination cost coverage and salary advances to support its staff in the country. In addition to this, the company continues to explore new ways to increase the resources available to its employees and their families.

"All Cisco employees in India will receive an extra, one-off payment to help cover additional expenses and manage the situation a little better," stated the sources.

The company, has about 12,700 employees in the country, and has not disclosed the amount being paid to employees.

As India is facing the second wave, hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. Social media timelines are filled with SOS calls with people looking for oxygen cylinders, hospital beds, plasma donors, and ventilators. Many organisations across the span have come forward to source and donate oxygenators, breathing machines, and ventilators. Cisco also stated, it has set up a dedicated 24/7 COVID helpline that is managed by a group of Cisco volunteers. For the past few days, this group has assisted several hundred employees and their family members across India in getting hospital beds, oxygen support, plasma, medicines, ambulances, many more.

The company has made available $1.75 million in monetary support to fulfil immediate and emergency needs such as oxygen concentrators and vaccinations to date.

Chuck Robbins, Chairman and CEO, Cisco says, "This is just the start and we will continue to expand support and resources based on evolving needs to ensure we are doing all we can."

To support seven response organisations working on the ground in India Cisco has also set up an employee match COVID-19 India Fund.