Is your sexual harassment policy employee-friendly?

Sexual harassment can be very disturbing be it at anyplace and when it’s your workplace it becomes even hard as you have to visit and go through all the pain on a daily basis and in most of the cases there is sexual harassment of women at workplace.

Sexual Harassment may include such unwelcome sexually determined behavior which may or may not he direct such as:

a. Physical Contact And Advances

b. Asking for sexual favours

c. Making sexual remarks

d. Showing pornography without will

e. Another Unwelcome Physical,verbal non- verbal conduct of sexual nature.

If you feel comfortable doing so you must immediately object — by telling the harasser to stop.

What you can do if you’re being harassed?

-If mere objecting doesn’t stop the conduct follow the reporting and complaint steps in the policy of your workplace’s anti harassment handbook if provided.

-Try talking to your staff representative or one of your local union officers to find out if how to file a grievance.

-In case there is no policy or contract language, you should speak to a supervisor, manager or a human resources professional directly at your workplace.

-Making sure that your employer knows about the harassment is really important so as he has an opportunity to step in and take corrective action.

How can harassment be prevented at a workplace?

-Start by establishing an anti-harassment policy through local resolutions together with employees, managers, and union representatives.

-Make sure the policy is communicated to all the employees.

-It must be ensured that the policies and procedures are understandable for all the employees.

-The policy must apply to everyone, no matter who including managers and supervisors.

-Educate members at the workplace giving a clear explanation of prohibited conduct and include examples with different methods such as speakers, workshops, presentations, etc.

-Encourage members to speak up about harassment.

-Choose a member at workplace usually someone senior who will be comfortable handling harassment issues and train him or her on how to handle sexual harassment grievances.

-Providing education and information about harassment to all staff on a regular basis is really important. This may include informational sessions, office meetings, group discussions and problem-solving groups can prove very effective in this respect.

-There must be staff development programs on sexual harassment at workplace from time to time.

-All complaints of harassment must be promptly investigated and dealt with.

-The employees who feel they are being harassed must be provided with proper protection and support.

-Actions against elimination of discriminatory jokes, posters, graffiti, e-mails and photos at the work site must be taken.

-Keep updating and revising the sexual harassment policy on a regular basis to ensure that it is still effective for your workplace.

-A provision for addressing sexual harassment in a confidential and sensitive manner after a grievance has been filed must be maintained at a workplace.

Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy makes sure an environment free from sexual, racial, religious, and all other kinds of unlawful discrimination or harassment, or other unlawful considerations for employees is very important.

Posh act

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act,

2013 (POSH Act) was enacted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, India. It is the first act of its kind. The POSH Act however is not gender-neutral and protects only women. Hence, the safeguards under this Act are not applicable to ‘men victims’.

POSH Act makes sure that no woman shall be subjected to sexual harassment at her workplace. Under the POSH Act, the incident of sexual harassment should have taken place at the ‘workplace’ then only the remedies are provided.

Many anti-harassment policies models from other countries such as United States and Canada, can be used as frameworks for creating systems to prevent workplace harassment in countries such as India.

Going through one of the above mentioned situations? We at Lawtendo will help you get through it by filing complaint and taking care of the matters through the best legal harassment lawyers. You don’t need to worry. Just drop us a mail at [email protected] or you can contact our consultants directly on +91 9671633666. You can also visit www.lawtendo.com.