Punjab National Bank has approved conversion of existing part time housekeepers (PTHKs) working in 1/3, 1/2 and 3/4 scale wages into full time housekeeper cum office assistant (HKOA) and re-designation of existing full time housekeepers (FTHKs) into the common cadre of housekeeper cum office assistant (HKOA).
A Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) was signed between the Management of Punjab National Bank and All India PNB Employees’ Federation (AIPNBEF) on 14.08.2026 under section 2(zi) of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 read with Rule 4 of the Industrial Relations (Central) Rules, 2025.
The Board of Directors of the Bank, in its meeting held on 09.09.2026, accorded approval for conversion and/or redesignation of all PTHKs and FTHKs as Housekeeper cum Office Assistant (HKOAs) in the full-time scale of wages.
Why PNB converted PTS into Full Time staff?
The Bank wants to make better use of housekeeping staff in its branches and offices. Due to changes in banking operations and business needs, the Bank has decided to change the existing system of classifying housekeeping staff.
The difference between part-time and full-time housekeeping staff created differences in their deployment, work utilisation, career growth and opportunities for promotion. Therefore, the Bank has decided to bring these employees under a common full-time cadre so that they can be used more effectively and have better opportunities for career growth.
Important Points: Eligibility & Other Points
Common Cadre: All existing part-time housekeepers (PTHKs) working on 1/3, 1/2 and 3/4 scale wages, along with full-time housekeepers (FTHKs), will be brought under one common full-time cadre called Housekeeper-cum-Office Assistant (HKOA).
Who will be covered: All eligible PTHKs and FTHKs working in the Bank as on 1 October 2026 will be covered. Employees do not need to apply or give their consent. The conversion will happen automatically. Employees who are under suspension will be converted after their suspension is revoked.
Conversion in Two Phases: The conversion will be done according to state-wise seniority.
- Phase I: 50% of PTHKs and all FTHKs will be converted from 1 October 2026.
- Phase II: The remaining 50% of PTHKs will be converted during FY 2027-28, from 1 April 2027, at a suitable time.
Permanent Conversion: The conversion will be permanent and cannot be reversed. It will not be treated as a new appointment, recruitment, promotion, selection or re-employment.
Salary: The salary will be fixed according to the applicable Bipartite Settlement rules. No employee will suffer a reduction in salary because of this conversion.
Duties: HKOAs will perform both housekeeping/sweeping work and Office Assistant duties during full-time working hours. The allocation of duties will depend on the requirements and carpet area of the branch or office.
Seniority: Seniority will be decided on a state-wise basis. The Bank will consider the service period of employees in 1/3, 1/2, 3/4 and full-scale wages while preparing the seniority list. A provisional seniority list will be issued, and employees can raise objections if required.
Posting/Deployment: HKOAs can be posted or redeployed within the same station, Circle or Zone depending on the Bank’s requirements and available vacancies. Certain employees, including PwBD employees, women aged 52 years or above and employees aged 55 years or above, will normally be exempted, subject to vacancy and operational requirements.
Transfer: HKOAs may be considered for inter-Circle transfer according to the Bank’s transfer policy applicable to women employees.
Promotion: HKOAs will be eligible for promotion under the applicable promotion rules. They can also be considered for posting as Senior Office Assistant (earlier called Daftary) after completing at least 3 years of service after their conversion or re-designation as HKOA.
Future Recruitment: In future, new housekeeping vacancies will be filled only in the HKOA cadre. The Bank will not recruit new employees under the PTHK or FTHK categories.
Continuity of Service: The service completed before conversion will continue to be counted for benefits such as seniority, pension, gratuity, leave, provident fund and other terminal benefits.
One-Time Measure: This conversion is a one-time arrangement for existing PTHKs and FTHKs. It will not automatically apply to other categories of Bank employees.
