The National Assembly has unanimously approved amendments to the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010.
According to details, the amendments have been made in the sub-sections e, f, and h of Section 2 of the Act. These amendments have expanded the definition of harassment, who can lodge a complaint, and who is considered as an employee and employer.
Previously, harassment was limited only to the act of sexual harassment. However, now it deems harassment as:
Any unwanted behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment on the basis of age, disability, gender, religion or belief, and race or sexual orientation.
It defines the unwanted behavior as:
- Spoken or written words
- Comments
- Jokes
- Abuse
- Physical gestures
- Facial expressions
- Offensive emails
- Tweets
- Comments on social networking sites
- Gazing
- Gossiping
- Images
- Videos
- Drawing
- Graffiti
After the amendment, sexual harassment will be deemed as:
Any unwanted and unwelcome sexual advance, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or written communication or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
Hurling sexually disguised remarks, sharing pornographic content, and stalking at the workplace will also be considered sexual harassment from now on.
Besides, only men and women were able to file complaints under the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010 until now.
However, transgenders aggrieved by acts of sexual harassment can also file complaints to the Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment now.
Moreover, the act now defines a person hired through an agent as an employee. The act also identifies a co-worker as an employer.
