Workplace Harassment
Harassment at workplace includes misconduct perpetuated by colleagues or superiors involving offensive jokes, slurs, or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put downs, offensive objects or pictures etc. that potentially interfere with the work performance of the victim or harm their physical or psychological well-being.
Workplace Harassment
Harassment at workplace includes misconduct perpetuated by colleagues or superiors involving offensive jokes, slurs, or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put downs, offensive objects or pictures etc. that potentially interfere with the work performance of the victim or harm their physical or psychological well-being.
Psychological Harassment
Taking credit for someone’s achievement, making impossible demands, imposing unreasonable deadlines, constantly requiring them to perform demeaning tasks outside of their job scope.
Sexual Harassment
Unwanted sexual advances such as, inappropriate touching, sexual jokes, sharing pornography, sending sexual messages or requiring sexual favors in exchange for a promotion or job security.
Verbal Harassment
It includes demeaning remarks, offensive gestures, threats, mocking insults and unreasonable criticism. Verbal harassment can be particularly damaging since it often goes unnoticed and unresolved.
Physical Harassment
It includes unwanted gestures like touching an employee’s clothing, hair, face or skin or more severe gestures like physical assault (hitting, shoving or kicking), threats of violence and damage to property.
Psychological Harassment
Taking credit for someone’s achievement, making impossible demands, imposing unreasonable deadlines, constantly requiring them to perform demeaning tasks outside of their job scope.
Sexual Harassment
Unwanted sexual advances such as, inappropriate touching, sexual jokes, sharing pornography, sending sexual messages or requiring sexual favors in exchange for a promotion or job security.
Verbal Harassment
It includes demeaning remarks, offensive gestures, threats, mocking insults and unreasonable criticism. Verbal harassment can be particularly damaging since it often goes unnoticed and unresolved.
Physical Harassment
It includes unwanted gestures like touching an employee’s clothing, hair, face or skin or more severe gestures like physical assault (hitting, shoving or kicking), threats of violence and damage to property.
Percent of women have reported that their management does not take harassment seriously, therefore remain unable to do anything about the harassers. (DAWN Report)
Pakistani working women face harassment at workplace. (Sexual Harassment at Workplace in Pakistan Report, 2018)
THE PROTECTION AGAINST HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT THE WORKPLACE ACT 2010
The Act defines “Harassment” as any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors or other verbal or written communication or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or sexually demeaning attitudes, causing interference with work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, or the attempt to punish the complainant for refusal to comply to such a request or is made a condition for employment. The aforementioned facts include unacceptable behavior in the organization and at the workplace, including in any interaction or situation that is linked to official work or activity outside office. There are three manifestations of harassment in the workplace environment: 1- Abuse of authority, 2- Creating a hostile environment and 3- Retaliation.
Kindly note that, each organization shall constitute an Inquiry Committee within thirty days of the enactment of this Act to enquire into complaints under this Act. The Committee shall consist of three members of whom at least one member shall be a woman
If the Inquiry Committee finds the accused to be guilty it shall recommend to the Competent Authority for imposing one or more of the following penalties:
The Minor penalties: (a) censure; (b) withholding, for a specific period, promotion or increment; (c) stoppage, for a specific period, at an efficiency bar in the time-scale, otherwise than for unfitness to cross such bar; (d) recovery of the compensation payable to the complainant from pay or any other source of the accused;
The Major penalties include: (a) reduction to a lower post or time-scale, or to a lower stage in a time-scale; (b) compulsory retirement; (c) removal from service; and (d) dismissal from service. (e) Fine. A part of the fine can be used as compensation for the complainant. In case of the owner, the fine shall be payable to the complainant.
Percent of women have reported that their management does not take harassment seriously, therefore remain unable to do anything about the harassers. (DAWN Report)
Pakistani working women face harassment at workplace. (Sexual Harassment at Workplace in Pakistan Report, 2018)
THE PROTECTION AGAINST HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT THE WORKPLACE ACT 2010
The Act defines “Harassment” as any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors or other verbal or written communication or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or sexually demeaning attitudes, causing interference with work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, or the attempt to punish the complainant for refusal to comply to such a request or is made a condition for employment. The aforementioned facts include unacceptable behavior in the organization and at the workplace, including in any interaction or situation that is linked to official work or activity outside office. There are three manifestations of harassment in the workplace environment: 1- Abuse of authority, 2- Creating a hostile environment and 3- Retaliation.
Kindly note that, each organization shall constitute an Inquiry Committee within thirty days of the enactment of this Act to enquire into complaints under this Act. The Committee shall consist of three members of whom at least one member shall be a woman
If the Inquiry Committee finds the accused to be guilty it shall recommend to the Competent Authority for imposing one or more of the following penalties:
The Minor penalties: (a) censure; (b) withholding, for a specific period, promotion or increment; (c) stoppage, for a specific period, at an efficiency bar in the time-scale, otherwise than for unfitness to cross such bar; (d) recovery of the compensation payable to the complainant from pay or any other source of the accused;
The Major penalties include: (a) reduction to a lower post or time-scale, or to a lower stage in a time-scale; (b) compulsory retirement; (c) removal from service; and (d) dismissal from service. (e) Fine. A part of the fine can be used as compensation for the complainant. In case of the owner, the fine shall be payable to the complainant.
How to Report Workplace Harassment in Pakistan
Don’t quit your job, compile or collect the evidence (message/screenshots) related to the incident and file a complaint to the workplace harassment inquiry committee within your organization.
Your organization is bound to have a three-member inquiry committee after the re-enactment of The Workplace Harassment Act, 2010 to look into such cases. The committee should have one female member.
In case a complaint is made against one of the members of the Inquiry Committee that member should be replaced by another for that particular case. Such member may be from within or outside the organization.
When interviewed by the inquiry committee, don't withhold information related to the incident, be explicit about your experience, what has happened to you or what you are going through. The committee shall communicate their decision within 30 days.
If you are unsatisfied with the decision of the inquiry committee, it is your right to approach the provincial ombudsman with your complaint. The ombudsman is legally mandated to conduct an investigation into your case and come up with a judgement.
If you are unsatisfied by the decision of the Ombudsman, under sub- section (5) of the Act, you may, within thirty days of decision, request a representation to the President or Governor. The further course of action shall be decided accordingly.
Don’t quit your job, compile or collect the evidence (message/screenshots) related to the incident and file a complaint to the workplace harassment inquiry committee within your organization.
Your organization is bound to have a three-member inquiry committee after the re-enactment of The Workplace Harassment Act, 2010 to look into such cases. The committee should have one female member.
In case a complaint is made against one of the members of the Inquiry Committee that member should be replaced by another for that particular case. Such member may be from within or outside the organization.
When interviewed by the inquiry committee, don't withhold information related to the incident, be explicit about your experience, what has happened to you or what you are going through. The committee shall communicate their decision within 30 days.
If you are unsatisfied with the decision of the inquiry committee, it is your right to approach the provincial ombudsman with your complaint. The ombudsman is legally mandated to conduct an investigation into your case and come up with a judgement.
If you are unsatisfied by the decision of the Ombudsman, under sub- section (5) of the Act, you may, within thirty days of decision, request a representation to the President or Governor. The further course of action shall be decided accordingly.
