Prez clears harassment at work bill

President Pranab Mukherjee’s assent to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill will include 47.5 lakh women registered as domestic workers in India.

President Pranab Mukherjee’s assent to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill will include 47.5 lakh women registered as domestic workers in India.

All employers, in organised or unorganised sector — will be required to dispose of any complaint related to sexual harassment of women at workplace within a period of 90 days or face a penalty of Rs. 50,000.

It will also protect women who enter the workplace as clients, customers, apprentices, and daily wage workers or in ad-hoc capacity. Students, research scholars in colleges and universities and patients in hospitals have also been covered. WCD ministry officials said inclusion of domestic workers would allow them access to an efficient redressal mechanism.