The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 & Rules made therein.
In 2013, after a span of 16 years, India finally enacted the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Act’) for prevention of sexual harassment against women at the workplaces. The Central Government vide notification SO 3606 (E) appointed 9 December 2013 as the date on which the Act’s provisions came into force. On the same day, the Central Government made the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Rules, 2013 (“Rules”).
Definitions
Sexual Harassment
The Act has adopted the definition of ‘sexual harassment from Vishaka Judgment, and the term sexual harassment includes any unwelcome acts or behaviour (whether directly or by implication) such as physical contact and advances, demand or request for sexual favours, making sexually coloured remarks, showing pornography or any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.
Internal Complaints Committee:
The Act makes it mandatory for every employer to constitute an internal complaints committee (“ICC”) that entertains the complaints made by any aggrieved women. The members of the ICC are to be nominated by the employer. ICC should consist of i) a Presiding Officer4, ii) not less than two members from amongst employees preferably committed to the cause of women or who have had experience in social work or have the legal knowledge and iii) one member from amongst non-governmental organizations or associations committed to the cause of women or a person familiar with the issues relating to sexual harassment. To ensure the participation of women employees in the ICC proceedings, the Act requires that at least one-half of the members of ICC nominated by the employer are women.
Local Complaints Committee:
Provisions are provided under the Act to form Local Complaints Committee (LCC) for every district for receiving complaints of sexual harassment from establishments where the ICC has not been formed due to having less than 10 workers or if the complaint is against the employer himself.
Complaint procedure:
the Act stipulates that aggrieved woman can make written complaint of sexual harassment at the workplace to the ICC or to the LCC (in case a complaint is against the employer), within a period of three months from the date of incident and in case of a series of incidents, within a period of three months from the date of the last incident. If the aggrieved woman is unable to make a complaint in writing, reasonable assistance shall be rendered by the presiding officer or any member of the ICC (or in case the aggrieved woman is unable to make a complaint in writing to the LCC, the reasonable assistance shall be rendered by the Chairperson or any member of the LCC) for making the complaint in writing.
As per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Rules, 20135, in case the aggrieved woman is unable to make a complaint on account of her physical incapacity, a complaint may be filed inter alia by her relative or friend or her co-worker or an officer of the National Commission for Woman or State Women’s Commission or any person who knows about the incident, with the written consent of the aggrieved woman.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
