Women Commission announces guidelines for women safety at the workplace

Women Commission announces guidelines for women safety at the workplace

Nabaz-e-Punjab Bureau, Chandigarh, October 29:
Applauded the #Metoo movement, Punjab State Women Commission’s Chairperson Mrs. Manisha Gulati today issued a guidelines regarding the safety of women in workplaces.
Mrs. Gulati said that Commission has decided that we shall frame a policy for the entire staff, administrators and elected officials, so that no one harasses a woman in future at workplaces. She said that Govt. of India, via notification dated November 9, 2013, has passed the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act. In the light of this notification commission has announced certain rules and regulations to prevent any kind of sexual harassment of women at workplace. Under these guidelines sexual harassment may occur not only where a person uses sexual behavior to control, influence or affect the career, salary or job of another person, but also between co-workers. All male officers and ministers are required to understand that if a female employee is being called for any kind of discussion or meeting into a confined space (for e.g. an Office), he needs to have a minimum of one other woman in the office for the entire duration of the meeting. No kinds of discussions which include the salary appraisals of the female junior or involving money shall be done with any indication of receiving any favor from the female employee.
Mrs Gulati said that Physical contact and advances shall be considered as sexual harassment and it is mandatory that no male employee shall behave in any manner which can be construed as sexual in nature. Sexually colored remarks or remarks of a sexual nature about female’s clothing or body are strictly prohibited at workplace. Indulging in any humor laced with sexual innuendoes, sexual teasing and sexual pranks are not allowed.
She categorically said that any jokes, photos, GIFs, videos or even plain text sent to any female’s mobile phone by a male colleague, junior or senior shall be taken as serious and sexual harassment of the female employee, and shall be dealt with strictly. Any communication happening on mobile devices including mobile phones, tablets, computers, or even landlines are not limited by office hours and hence any objectionable content sent by a male colleague, junior or senior to a female, even outside the office hours, shall not be tolerated by the Commission and be dealt with in lines with sexual harassment.