A call to action
Master Class - Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
17 April 2015
Wake up to a cause
The growing concern for women’s safety and the need for a specific legislation that addresses sexual harassment of women at the workplace, led to the passage of the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 (hereafter referred to as the “Act”).
The Act has been a clear game changer and has raised many questions around harassment in the Indian workplace culture. The provisions of the Act aim to protect the interest of women employees and further fuel the adoption of good governance practices.
Providence through practical insights
The Act lays greater accountability on the employer with respect to providing a safe working environment. It mandates institutionalisation of capacity and skill building programs for the ICC, implementation of awareness programmes for all employees, and listing of penalties and fines. The Act’s detailing has set the tone for organizations to re-evaluate their governance frameworks and implement robust compliance programs, thereby driving instrumental change in operational ethics and integrity.
Are you POSH ready?
It has been a year since the Act and its rules were enforced and we at EY have been asked various questions relating to complying with its mandate. Although the Act provides instruction, there are several challenges that organisations face during the course of its implementation.
It is therefore imperative for organisations to understand the implications of the Act and the penalty for non-compliance with its provisions.
A few questions to ponder:
- According to the Act, who is the “employer”?
- Can the presiding officer be the same across locations?
- What are the considerations for deducting compensation?
- What are the specific investigative tools the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) can use for its inquiry into relevant cases?
- Do ICC members need specialised training?
- Has the ICC submitted its annual report for 2014?
A defining moment
This is a specially designed program for the capacity and skill building enablement of the ICC and persons responsible for implementation of the Act; which the Act mandates as the employer’s responsibility. The workshop shall help participants understand the intricacies and variations of dealing with sensitive cases and they shall be made aware of their enhanced responsibility in ensuring timely recording and reporting of information, and investigative procedures
A bird’s eye view of the program
The program is designed, based on our experience in helping several large Indian and multinational companies implement the Act and guiding them on creating and enforcing robust frameworks.
The program will include a set of vital learnings on how to conduct enquiries, with a strong focus on the roles and responsibilities of ICC members. It will also provide a more intrinsic take on the Act, and shall deal with practical implications and discussion on the Act’s implementation and capacity with regard to investigation into cases.
Keeping in mind the principles of adult learning, we will use a delivery methodology that includes facilitator-led presentations, group discussions and activities, scenarios presented on video and an interactive session with experts.
Please check the program details below:
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