The Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act and Rules, 2013 aims to protect women in the workplace against sexual harassment and to inculcate a culture of dignity and equality in the workplace. The IHRS India is a leading team of professionals delivering advisory services and interventions for compliance management of the Act and Rules.
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act, 2013, prescribes that every employer shall provide a safe and secure working environment for women where they do not have to face any sexual harassment. This is a multi-pronged approach with a strong focus on preventive measures which includes implementing a Code of Conduct and effective grievance redressal mechanisms. It is being implemented on a country-wide basis, but few have the resources and expertise to implement it effectively.
According to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act 2013, every organization with more than 10 employees is supposed to have an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in place. The ICC is responsible for investigating complaints of sexual harassment. In response to this, in the year 2015, IHRS India was established as a one-stop-shop for all organizations looking to comply with the Act and Rules.
The Indian Penal Code, 1860, does not have provisions for sexual harassment. Sexual harassment under the Act is defined as any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or any other unwelcome act of a sexual nature when such an act creates an intimidating, hostile, humiliating, or offensive environment for the woman. The Act also defines sexual harassment as an offense against the dignity of a woman, and it is considered a crime against the person.