Creating ‘offensive, hostile’ work place for women will amount to sexual harassment
By: Express News Service | New Delhi | Posted: November 27, 2014
AN implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment in employment or a threat of detrimental treatment to a woman employee, a threat about her present or future employment status, interference with her work or creating an intimidating or offensive or hostile work environment and humiliating treatment that is likely to affect her health and safety will now be treated as sexual harassment.
Widening the ambit of the definition of sexual harassment at workplace, the Centre carried out amendments to the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 and Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965 on November 19.
Also, as per the new definition under the rules, sexual harassment includes physical contact and advances, a demand or request for sexual favours, making sexually coloured remarks, showing pornography and any other unwelcome physical, verbal, non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature, the government told Lok Sabha Wednesday.
Under the new rules, a “workplace” has been defined so as to include any department, organisation, undertaking, establishment, enterprise, institution, office, branch or unit which is established, owned, controlled or wholly or substantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly by the central government; hospitals or nursing homes; any sports institute, stadium, sports complex or competition or games venue; any place visited by the employee arising out of or during the course of employment including transportation provided by the employer for undertaking such journey; and a dwelling place or a house.