Co pulled up for sexual harassment

MUMBAI, JANUARY 17: In its first ever judgement on sexual harassment at workplace, an industrial court has directed Steelage Industries Ltd to pay Rs 40,000 as costs to a female worker for its failure to protect her from humiliation at the hands of her boss.

R U Ingule, member of industrial court, also directed the General Manager HRD, A R Gujar to pay Rs 10,000 as costs from his own purse to Pervin Anklesaria, a telephone operator, for making sexual advances towards her thereby causing the victim to suffer from hypertension.

Holding the company and its officer guilty of unfair labour practice, the court quashed the order of October 27, 1995, transferring Anklesaria from corporate office to factory office.

The judgement is considered significant in legal circles since this is for the first time that an industrial court has gone through the shreds of evidence on sexual harassment. The court held that substantial costs should be imposed upon the company which had constitutional obligation to protectits women employees.