The Centre has amended the services rules for women Government employees to check sexual harassment at work places. As per the amendment, humiliating treatment which is likely to affect women Government employees' health or safety may amount to sexual harassment.
Interference with females on work or creating an intimidating or offensive or hostile work environment for them may also amount to sexual harassment. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions amended the services rules on November 19 to check sexual harassment of women at work place, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh informed the lok Sabha on Wednesday.
"The implied or explicit promise of preferential or detrimental treatment in employment, threat about present or future employment and humiliating treatment likely to affect her health or safety may amount to sexual harassment," Singh said.
The service rules were amended to widen definition of sexual harassment and to make work place more conducive for women to work. The new rules are expected to bring in more clarity on various sexual harassment offences.
As per the new definition under the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 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 reply said.
As per rules, work place includes 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.
President Pranab Mukherjee had last year given his assent to the Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at Work Place Bill, 2010, aimed at providing protection against sexual harassment of women at workplace and for the prevention and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment.