Prevention Of Sexual Harassment Of Women At Workplace

In a scenario where every single day we hear about women being victimized for all wrong reasons, every citizen needs to take up certain responsibilities if they wish to curb out the misfortune that women face everywhere. With growing issues of harassment of women at workplace Companies and Businesses should start putting up efforts to keep their workplace safe and maintain a professional environment for everyone.

• Sexual Harassment Of Women At Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act 2013)

This act was enacted to protect women from sexual harassment and redressal of such happening. The workplace defined under the act is way wide and covers all type of work environments, organized or unorganized, registered or unregistered, public and private sector, organizations, firms etc.

Every employer of a workplace shall constitute an Internal Complaints Committee. In case the business has branches or offices at different places, all the branches shall have such Internal Complaints Committee.

Any women who were at any time at the workplace if subjected to harassment whether employed or not, irrespective of age can make a complaint to such committee in writing within a period of three months of such incident. In cases where the woman aggrieved was not able to make such complaint due to any reason her legal heirs or any other prescribed person can make such complaint.

Who is required to constitute such committee?

“Every Employer” is the word prescribed under the act and so every business is required to constitute such committee. However, for implementation hurdles workplaces employing more than 10 people are required to follow such law. Every business employing women or planning to employ women should keep this in mind.

Who shall be the members of such committee?

The internal Complaints committee must have following members:

1. Minimum two members who have experience in social work or have legal knowledge.
2. One Member from any NGO or association working towards the betterment of women or a person familiar with issues of sexual harassment.
3. A Presiding officer who is a woman employed at senior level at such workplace.

Can the aggrieved women just file an FIR?

Yes, the aggrieved party can file an FIR and there is nothing under this law preventing from the same.

What does the committee do when it receives such complaint?

Where the committee receives such complaint, before proceeding to an enquiry on request by the aggrieved can take steps for settlement through conciliation between the complainant and the respondent. If no such request is made the committee shall make an enquiry and shall forward the complaint to police within a period of seven days of such complaint.

Can the case be closed based on a monetary settlement?

No monetary settlement can be made as a basis of conciliation.