Gender sensitisation

SEXUAL
HARASSMENTOF
WOMEN AT WORK
PLACE
( PREVENTION,
PROHIBITION AND
REDRESSAL )ACT, 2013
22nd April 2013

VISHAKHA CASE- BHANWARI

DEVI
Bhanwari devi- Low castekumbhar( potter)
Joined women dev prog run by Rajasthan
In 1992 fought against child marriage
She and her husband working in field, 5
men attacked the husband and left him
unconscious. When she came to help her
husband 2 raped her while 3 pinned him
down to ground.

VISHAKHA CASE- BHANWARI

DEVI
Went police to lodge FIR
DSP could find only two small bruises on
her body
She told she is a minor hence even if
consented it is a crime
DSP referred to PHC for med exam and
age
At PHC no female doctor male doctor
refused to examine her

VISHAKHA CASE- BHANWARI

DEVI
Referred to Sawai mansingh hospital
Doctor said he needs Magistrates order
for med examination
Magistrate told today working hr is over
hence come tomorrow
Next day order was passed only for
medical examination and not for age
determination
By that time more than 48 hrs had
passed but according Indian law med
exam to be done within 24hrs

VISHAKHA CASE- BHANWARI

DEVI
At the police station she was asked to
deposit her LEHENGA( long skirt) as
evidence.
She has to cover her body with husbands
blood stained SAFA (turban) and 3 km 1
AM in the morning to the nearest village
Rapists wanted to pay a settlement to
Bhanwari in 1994 but she refused.
Her family broke ties with her.

VISHAKHA CASE- BHANWARI

DEVI
Dist court judgement in nov 1995
Husband could not have passively
watched wife being gang raped.
Accused include an uncle-nephew pair
Upper caste men would not have raped
a dalit
52 hrs delay hence she is lying.

VISHAKHA CASE- BHANWARI

DEVI
Aftermath of judgement
Vishakha and other women groups filed
PIL in Supreme Court

TWO IMPORTANT
JUDGEMENTS
VISHAKHA VS STATE OF RAJASTHAN ,
1997
APPAREL EXPORT PROMOTION
COUNCIL VS A K CHOPRA 1999

Constitutional and legal

provisions
SHW HAS BEEN RECOGNISED AS AN
INFRINGEMENT OF THE FUNDAMENTAL
RIGHTS OF A WOMAN UNDER ARTICLE
19(1)G OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
TO PRACTICE ANY PROFESSION OR TO
CARRYOUT ANY OCCUPATION,TRADE OR
BUSINESS.
IN INDIA ART 14,15, 21 OF INDIAN
CONSTITUTION PROVIDES SAFEGUARDS
AGAINST ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION.

WHY A SPECIAL ACT FOR

SHW
INDIA IS RAPIDLY ADVANCING IN ITS
DEVELOPMENTAL GOALS
& MORE AND
MORE WOMEN ARE JOINING THE WORK
FORCE
IT IS THE DUTY OF THE STATE TO PROVIDE
FOR THE WELL BEING AND RESPECT OF ITS
CITIZENS TO PREVENT FRUSTRATION,LOW
SELF ESTEEM, INSECURITY AND EMOTIONAL
DISTURBANCE, WHICH INTURN COULD
AFFECT BUSINESS EFFICACY, LEADING TO
LOSS OF PRODUCTION AND LOSS OF
REPUTATION OF THE ORGANISATION OR THE
EMPLOYER.

WHY A SPECIAL ACT FOR

SHW
The recognition of the right against
sexual harassment is an intrinsic
component of the protection and
womens Human Rights.
It is also a step towards providing
women independence, equality of
opportunity and right to work with
dignity.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT & UN

DECLARATION
The UN has acknowledged that
Womens Rights are synonymous
with the Human Rights. The same
was reiterated in Beijing Declaration.

Evolution of Sexual Harassment

law

According to India's constitution, sexual

harassment infringes the fundamental right of
a woman to gender equality under Article 14
of the Constitution of India and her right to life
and live with dignity under Article 21 of the
Constitution. Although there is no specific law
against sexual harassment at workplace in
India but many provisions in other legislations
protect against sexual harassment at
workplace, such as Section 354, IPC deals
with assault or criminal force to a woman
with the intent to outrage her modesty, and
Section 509, IPC deals with word, gesture or
act intended to insult the modesty of a

Common effects on the

victims
Common professional, academic, financial, and

social effects of sexual harassment:

Decreased
work
or
school
performance;
increased absenteeism
Loss of job or career, loss of income
Having to drop courses, change academic plans,
or leave school (loss of tuition)
Having one's personal life offered up for public
scrutinythe victim becomes the "accused," and
his or her dress, lifestyle, and private life will
often come under attack.
Being objectified and humiliated by scrutiny and
gossip
Becoming publicly sexualized (i.e. groups of
people "evaluate" the victim to establish if he or
she is "worth" the sexual attention or the risk to
the harasser's career)

Common effects on the

victims
Loss of trust in environments similar to where

the harassment occurred

Loss of trust in the types of people that occupy
similar positions as the harasser or his or her
colleagues
Extreme stress upon relationships with
significant others, sometimes resulting in
divorce; extreme stress on peer relationships, or
relationships with colleagues
Weakening of support network, or being
ostracized from professional or academic circles
(friends, colleagues, or family may distance
themselves from the victim, or shun him or her
altogether)
Having to relocate to another city, another job,
or another school
Loss of references/recommendations

Common effects on the

victims

Some of the psychological and health

effects that can occur in someone who has
been sexually harassed: depression, anxiety
and/or panic attacks, sleeplessness and/or
nightmares, shame and guilt, difficulty
concentrating, headaches, fatigue or loss of
motivation, stomach problems, eating
disorders (weight loss or gain), alcoholism,
feeling betrayed and/or violated, feeling
angry or violent towards the perpetrator,
feeling powerless or out of control,
increased blood pressure, loss of confidence
and self esteem, withdrawal and isolation,
overall loss of trust in people, traumatic
stress,
post-traumatic
stress
disorder
(PTSD), complex post-traumatic stress

Effects of sexual harassment on

Organizations

Decreased productivity and increased

team conflict
Decrease in success at meeting financial
goals (because of team conflict)
Decreased job satisfaction
Loss of staff and expertise from
resignations to avoid harassment or
resignations/firings of alleged harassers;
loss of students who leave school to avoid
harassment
Decreased productivity and/or increased
absenteeism
by
staff
or
students

Effects of sexual harassment on

Organizations

Increased health care costs and sick pay

costs because of the health consequences
of harassment
The knowledge that harassment is
permitted can undermine ethical standards
and discipline in the organization in
general, as staff and/or students lose
respect for, and trust in, their seniors who
indulge in, or turn a blind eye to, sexual
harassment
If the problem is ignored, a company's or
school's image can suffer
Legal costs if the problem is ignored and

Gender Discrimination
Gender discrimination is a subset of sex
discrimination. It is often non-sexual but is nonetheless
directed at a person because of that person's sex.
Examples of discriminatory comments and behaviors
include employers:
Asking whether an employment candidate is married or
plans on having children;
Making reference to an employee PMSing;
Claiming that a woman should be more feminine and
wear makeup;
Calling an effeminate male a fairy, or prissy or
stating that he should act more like a man;
Refusing to hire a man in a womans job and vice
versa;
Retaliating against an employee for assisting in or
cooperating with an investigation or lawsuit based upon

Sexual Harassment At Work

Verbal or written:
Comments about clothing,
personal behavior, or a persons body; sexual or
sex-based jokes; requesting sexual favors or
repeatedly
asking
a
person
out;
sexual
innuendoes; telling rumors about a persons
personal or sexual life; threatening a person
Physical:
Assault;
impeding
or
blocking
movement; inappropriate touching of a person or a
persons clothing; kissing, hugging, patting,
stroking
Nonverbal: Looking up and down a persons body;
derogatory gestures or facial expressions of a
sexual nature; following a person
Visual: Posters, drawings, pictures, screensavers
or emails of a sexual nature

Sexual Harassment At Work

Severe or Pervasive
The conduct of the harasser must either be severe
or it must be pervasive to be sexual harassment.
A single incident is probably not sexual harassment
unless it is severe. For example, a single incident
of rape or attempted rape would probably be
sexual harassment (it would also violate criminal
laws).
Although a single unwanted request for a date or
one sexually suggestive comment might offend
you and/or be inappropriate, it may not be sexual
harassment. However, a number of relatively
minor separate incidents may add up to sexual
harassment if the incidents affect your work
environment. Some questions you can ask yourself

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Men and women are like two wheels of the
Chariot
of
Life.
The
term
sexual
harassment means a type of employment
discrimination consisting in verbal or
physical abuse of a sexual nature.
In Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan, sexual
harassment was defined as any unwelcome
sexually determined behavior (whether
directly or by implication) as physical
contact and advances, a demand or request
for sexual favors, sexually-colored remarks,
showing
pornography
or
any
other
unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
It has historically been a well kept secret practiced
by men, suffered by women, condoned by
management, and spoken by no one. It is a
manifestation of power relations women are
much more likely to be victims of sexual
harassment precisely because they lack power, are
in a more vulnerable and insecure position, lack
self-confidence, or have been socially conditioned
to suffer in silence. The cases of sexual
harassment of women at the workplace are
increasing alarmingly because of several factors,
poor status of women; increasing number of
working women; poor knowledge of human
relations and values; poor law and order position in
the society and no adequate provisions of law to

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
The prevailing forms of harassment at workplace
include the sexual desire dominance paradigm
which conceptualizes the hostile work environment
harassment. It was very important for the courts to
recognize that gender discrimination can take the
form of sexual overtures. The quintessential case
of harassment involves a more powerful, typically
older, male supervisor, who uses his position to
demand sexual favors from a less powerful, female
subordinate. Within this paradigm, heterosexual
desire and male dominance are inextricably linked.
Men use their dominant positions at work to
extract sex from women, and this extraction of sex
from women ensures their dominance. This sexual
desire dominance paradigm governs our

SEXUAL HARASSMENT CONST

PROVISIONS

The Constitution of India ensures and guarantees every

individual the right to practice any profession, or to
carry on any occupation, trade or business as
enshrined under Article 19(1) (g). Every woman has a
constitutional right to participate in public employment
and this right is denied in the process of sexual
harassment, which compels her to keep away from such
employment. Though this right is only available against
the state, it is a recognized right in all the major
international conventions. If any action, deed or remark
abridges the enjoyment of this right, that act is not
justified in any manner, unless it satisfies certain
restrictions as imposed under article 19 (6). Sexual
harassment of woman at the place of work exposes her
to a big risk and hazard which places her at an
inequitable position vis--vis other employees and this
adversely
affects
her
ability
to
realize
her

SEXUAL HARASSMENT CONST

PROV

Sexual harassment of women at workplace is also a

violation of the right to life and personal liberty as
mentioned in Article 21 that no person shall be
deprived of his life or personal liberty. Right to
livelihood is an integral facet of the right to life.[v]
Sexual harassment is the violation of the right to
livelihood. For the meaningful enjoyment of life under
Article 21 of the Constitution of India, 1950, every
woman is entitled to the elimination of obstacles and of
discrimination based on gender. Since the Right to
Work depends on the availability of a safe working
environment and the right to life with dignity, the
hazards posed by sexual harassment need to be
removed for these rights to have a meaning. The
preamble of the Constitution of India contemplates that
it will secure to all its citizens Equality of status and
opportunity. Sexual harassment vitiates this basic

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
The concept of gender equality embodied
in our Constitution would be an exercise in
ineffectiveness if a womans right to privacy
is not regarded as her right to protection of
life and liberty guaranteed by Article 21 of
the Constitution of India.[vi] In view of the
fact that sexual harassment of women at
the workplace violates their sense of dignity
and the right to earn a living with dignity, it
is absolutely against their fundamental
rights and their basic human rights.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
The leading case pertaining to sexual harassment
at workplace in India is Vishaka v. State of
Rajasthan.In this case a social activist, Bhanwari
Devi was alleged to be brutally gang raped in the
village of Rajasthan. The incident reveals the
hazards to which a working woman may be
exposed and the depravity to which sexual
harassment can degenerate; and the urgency for
safeguards by an alternative mechanism in the
absence of legislative measures. In the absence of
legislative measures, the need is to find an
effective alternative mechanism to fulfill this felt
and urgent social need. In this case, the Supreme
Court
has
categorically
held
that
sexual
harassment results in violation of fundamental

GENERAL POINTS
Gender equality includes protection from sexual
harassment and right to work with dignity as per
our constitution.
Extra hazard for a working woman compared her
male colleague is clear violation of the
fundamental rights of Gender Equality & Right to
Life and Liberty.
Safe working environment is fundamental right of
working woman.
In no way working women may be discriminated
at workplace against male employees. (If a woman
is, then it must be documented in company
policies, for example limitation of women in police
and armed forces)

GENERAL POINTS
Working with full dignity is the
fundamental right of working women.
The right to work as an inalienable
right of all working women
The right to protection of health and
to safety in working conditions,
including the safeguarding of the
function of reproduction(pregnancy,
maternity & nursing etc) is
fundamental right of working women

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
In 1998, a code of conduct was developed by the
National Commission for Women (NCW), which
expanded the scope and definition of sexual
harassment given under the guidelines. In 2001,
the NCW designed a draft bill in consultation with
womens rights activists and other experts. This
bill, in turn, was amended by the Ministry of
Human
Resource
Development
and
the
Department of Women and Child Development,
and later again in 2004. Although attempts have
been made to enhance the bills scope to create
effective Indian laws for women against sexual
harassment, organizations like the All India
Democratic Womens Alliance believe that it should

The Supreme Court judgement laid

down guidelines, prohibiting sexual
harassment, which are legally binding
and
must
be
enforced."
1 One of the guidelines makes it incumbent upon
the employer to include a prohibition against sexual
harassment in their rules of conduct and discipline
for employees;
2 Establish a complaint committee, headed
preferably by women, and with at least half of its
members being women.
3 Initiate disciplinary proceedings and possible
criminal action against any violators; and ensure

FOLLOWING CAN BE TERMED AS

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Anything at work that can place the working

woman at disadvantage compared to other male
employees in her official career just because she is
a woman can be termed as sexual harassment
Unwelcome sexually determined behavior
&
demands from males employees at workplace:
any physical contacts and advances
sexually colored remarks
showing pornography
passing lewd comments or gestures
sexual demands by any means

Any rumors /talk at workplace with sexually

colored remarks about a working woman. Even
spreading rumor about a womans sexual
relationship with anybody

CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO SEXUAL

HARASSMENT
Implied or explicit promise of preferential
treatment in her employment; or
Implied or explicit threat of detrimental treatment
in her employment; or
Implied or explicit threat about her present or
future employment status; or
Interference with her work or creating an
intimidating or offensive or hostile work
environment for her; or
Humiliating treatment likely to affect her health
or safety.

EMPLOYERS DUTY
It is an obligatory requirement for employers:
Appropriate notification/advertisement to be
issued for prohibition of sexual harassment at
workplace for the employees of the company.
State government, central government and
PSU bodies to include in their conduct and
discipline rules/regulations prohibiting sexual
harassment plus mention of penalties for those
found guilty of sexual harassment.
For private employers, prohibition of sexual
harassment and penalties to be included in the
standing
orders
under
the
Industrial
Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946.

EMPLOYERS DUTY
Employers
need
to
provide
conducive
&
appropriate work conditions for women staff in the
view of : work, health, hygiene & leisure. In short
there mustnt be any conditions creating hostile
environment towards working women staff and any
conditions which could put women at an
disadvantage position with regards to her career
compared to other male employees of the company.
The employer will need to have a written complaint
mechanism which will need to include time frame of
resolution of sexual harassment claims.
Employer should help the victim psychologically
with counseling
Employer should maintain confidentiality of the
complaint and the identity of the woman who raised

EMPLOYERS DUTY
Employers are bound to inform the details of sexual
harassment complaints to appropriate government
bodies/ labour department etc, every year. In short
itll be illegal to hide any sexual harassment
complaints raised in the company or with the
employer and not report to government authorities.
Employer should allow and encourage the
employees to raise sexual harassment issues in
workers meetings and at appropriate forums. And
all those complaints need to be affirmatively
discussed. In other words the employer must
provide easy way to discuss sexual harassment
issues and should not show any lack of interest.

EMPLOYERS DUTY
Employer should take steps to make working
women aware of their rights to equality in
everything in workplace by prominently notifying
the guidelines by appropriate means ( like sending
emails, sending letters, displaying rules on notice
boards)
If the sexual harassment is due to third party that
is not anything related to the employer but by
another person from different organization which
you interacted with him as part of discharging your
official duties whether in office space or outside,
then the employer will need to take all necessary
steps to assist and help the victim in the terms of
support & preventive action

EMPLOYERS DUTY AFTER RECEIVING

A SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMPLAINT

The employer must assess the crime and if

required legally, it must register complaint with
appropriate government authorities. For major
sexual harassment cases, it beehoves on the
employer to immediately bring the issue to
notice of local Police and also nearby women
cells. The employers should not delay filing a
police complaint just try to save its companys
image.
The employer will need to ensure that the
victim is not further traumatized or victimized.
Employer must not persecute the victim in any
way due to a womans complaint.

SETTINGS UP OF COMPLAINT
COMMITTEE BY THE EMPLOYERS

(1)a senior woman officer as presiding officer

(2)Two officers or employees preferably commited
to the cause of women or who have had
experience in social work or have legal
knowledge;
(3)One member from amongst a non-governmental
organisation or association commited to the
cause of women or a person familiar with the
issue relating to sexual harassment.
(4)There will be atleast 4 members
(5)At least 50% should be women
(6)Any female officer (IOFS, IOFHS, cls) could be the
presiding officer of the committee..

complaint
Agrieved woman can lodge complain within a
period of 3 months from the date of incidence
Internal committee may extend the time limit of
compaint up to another 3 months but the reasons
has to be recorded in writings /the circumstances
which prevented her from filing a complaint
within 3 months
Where the complainant is not able to lodge
complaint due to physical or mental incapacity or
death then her legal heir or any such person will
lodge the complain

ADVANTAGE TO THE VICTIM

The victim of sexual

harassment should be
given the option to seek
the transfer of the culprit
or her own transfer to
another department/place
etc.

PENALTY FOR VIOLATION

Where the employer fails to costitute an
internal complaints committee, or take
action on the inquiry report or on false
malicious copmplaint and false evidence,
or contravenes, or attemts to contravene
or abets contravention of this Act, he shall
be punishable with fine which may be
extended to rupees fifty thousand.
There are also provisions for enhanced
penalty for repeated offence.

conciliation
Before initiating an inquiry and at the
request of the agrieved woman take steps
to settle the matter between her and the
respondant through conciliation.
No monetary settlement shall be made as
the basis of conciliation.
Copy of the settlement to be provided to
the agrieved woman and the respondant.
Concoliation report has to be sent to the
employer.

 The internal complait committee may

also forward the case to police if the
situation so warrants to make inqury
under section 509 of IPC

Power of complaint
committee
Same power as vested in a civil court
under the code of civil procedure.
Summoning and enforcing the
attendance of any person and
examining him on oath
Requiring the discovery and
production of documents

Time period
Tme period for completion of inquiry
and submission of report to employer
3 months

Action during pendency of

inquiry
Transfer agrieved woman
Transfer the accused
Grant leave to the agrieved woman
up to 3 months
The leave so granted will not be
debited to her leave account

Action on report
The report has same status as under
Rule 14 of ccs(cca) rules
Financial award
Service penalty
If money can not be recovered from
salary the matter to be referred to
Collector for recovery as done in case
of land revenue recovery by dist
collector

SUPREME COURT'S INTERPRETATION OF

HARASSMENT

In the Vishaka case, the Supreme Court of

India has included a gamut of behavioural
aspects into what constitutes "Sexual
Harassment". In its decision in Vishaka v
State of Rajasthan (1997) the apex court
determined that sexual harassment is not
confined to instances of rape or
assault. Instead, it can include "such
unwelcome
sexually
determined
behaviour (whether directly or by
implication) as physical contact and
advances; a demand or request for
sexual
favours;
sexually
coloured

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Narrate you horror story at sexual
harassment forum
Visiting such forum will, one help you to
interact other volunteers or participants in
situations similar to you. Secondly if you
describe you horror story itll further
serve as a written proof of your harassment
and may help you later. Also itll also give
other women activists and volunteers to
offer you free services. There are even
lawyers who may be willing to counsel you
free of cost due to personal reasons.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Avoid using office internet
facilities
If you are searching internet for information about
sexual harassment etc, beware the company can easily
snoop on you. So dont use company internet and
phone for talk about personal issues. Company can also
use it against you. If still you want to access internet
then
use
use
secured
Google
search
:
https://encrypted.google.com : this will make
impossible for anyone to snoop on you( except for
catching what you type in keyboard). Any site address
beginning with https may not be snooped by anyone.
There is also good site: https://www.pagewash.com
through which you can access any website and your
company will not be able to snoop on you or detect the

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Always use Gmail in office
Gmail is most secured email service today.
There is no chance of snooping of email
data while you use Gmail. Make notes
within Gmail only( there is a notepad). You
can even store documents. Don't forget to
enter your mobile number and alternate
email ids since in case your account is ever
hacked Gmail will ask confirmation from the
hacker which he/she will not be able to
answer if you've already filled in your
secured questions/information in your

NOTE WORTHY SHW CASES

Rupan Deo Bajaj an IAS Officer in
chandigarh against Super cop K P S Gill
An air hostess against her collegue Mahesh
Kumar Lala in Mumbai
A IAS officer in Thiruananthpuram, against
the State Minister
SH of actress Sushmita Sen against the
Marketing Head Sri Sripad Nadkani out of
court settlement Rs 1.45 Crore was paid to
her. The contract of coca- cola was
cancelled.

NOTE WORTHY SHW CASES

SH of a pH D student by her guide at
the M S University, Vododara.
SH by sr. Manager of Infosys in 2003
Prof Mohammed Shabbir AMU who
teaches criminal law and gender
justice and is the chairman of Law
Dept. was suspended in SHW by a
first year student from Kashmir.

NOTE WORTHY SHW CASES

An activist from all india democratic
womens association, against the
environment Minister in Dehradoon.
NIFT Joint Director Vasant R Kothari of
Bhopal . Section 354 (assault or criminal
force to women with intent to outrage her
modesty and 509 (word , gesture or the
act intended to outrage the modesty of a
woman) of IPC. Allegation- Indulging in
obsene ACTs, watching pronography in
class Room and passing lewed comments.

NOTE WORTHY SHW CASES

A JNU student was harassed by an
Information and Broadcasting
officerwhile interning at the
International FilmFestival of India.

Role of Media
There is a need to sensitise the media
regarding the repeated relay of
incidents relating violence against
women. This has negative
repurcussion on society, especially on
children.
The NCW(national commission for
women) directs the media no to
intrude on the privacy of the victim.

THE END
THANK U

What You Can Do

When you are deciding what to do, remember
that every situation is different. There is no
one best thing to do. You should always report
the sexual harassment to your employer. You
then have the option to use your companys
sexual harassment complaint process, file a
charge with a state or federal agency, and/or
go to court.
It is important to talk with a lawyer or legal
services organization like Equal Rights
Advocates to discuss your choices (see
Resources).They can help you to understand
your choices, their benefits and risks as well as
the strengths and weaknesses of your case.

What You Can Do

Say No Clearly
Tell the person that his/her behavior offends you.
Firmly refuse all invitations. If the harassment
doesnt end promptly, write a letter asking the
harasser to stop and keep a copy.
Write Down What Happened
As soon as you experience the sexual harassment,
start writing it down. Write down dates, places,
times, and possible witnesses to what happened. If
possible, ask your co-workers to write down what
they saw or heard, especially if the same thing is
happening to them. Remember that others may
(and probably will) read this written record at some
point. It is a good idea to keep the record at home
or in some other safe place. Do not keep the record

What You Can Do

Report the Harassment
Tell your supervisor, your human resources
department or some other department or person
within your organization who has the power to stop
the harassment. If possible, tell them in writing.
Keep a copy of any written complaint you make to
your employer. It is very important that you report
the harassment because your employer must know
or have reason to know about the harassment in
order to be legally responsible for a co-worker,
client or customers actions. Even if your harasser
was your supervisor, you may need to show that
you reported the harassment to your employer or
give a good reason why you didnt.

What You Can Do

Start a Paper Trail
When you report the sexual harassment to your
employer, do it in writing. Describe the problem
and how you want it fixed.This creates a written
record of when you complained and what
happened in response to it. Keep copies of
everything you send and receive from your
employer.
Review your Personnel File
It is your right to see your personnel file. If you
work for a private employer, in certain states
including California, you have the right to request
and receive copies of everything in your file that
you have signed.

What You Can Do

Use the Grievance Procedure at Work
Many employers and schools have policies for dealing
with sexual harassment complaints. You may be able to
resolve the problem through this process. To find out
your employers policies, look in your employee
manual/personnel policies and/or speak to a human
resources officer. It is important to follow your
employers procedures.

Involve your Union

If you belong to a union, you may want to file a formal
sexual harassment complaint through the union and try
to get a shop steward or other union official to help you
work through the grievance process. Get a copy of your
unions grievance policy and see if it discusses the
problems you are experiencing. If you use your unions
grievance procedure, you must still file a complaint with