One of the most progressive features of the POSH Act, 2013 , is its dynamic definition of the "workplace." Unlike traditional labor statutes that restrict jurisdiction to physical factory floors or registered office suites, Section 2(o) introduces the doctrine of the Extended Workplace. This provision recognizes that modern professional interactions extend far beyond four physical walls and standard business hours. Under Indian jurisprudence , a workplace includes any place visited by an employee arising out of or during the course of employment, including transportation provided by the employer. Over the years, judicial precedents have expanded this definition to cover official offsites, client dinners, industry conferences, and work-related social gatherings. If the presence of the employees at a location is driven by their employment relationship, that location falls squarely under the IC's jurisdiction. In today's remote and hybrid work culture, the extended w...
On July 25, 2022, an Odisha college student accused the school's physics instructor of rape and sexual harassment. The accused lecturer, who was the institution's reader, had also held the role of NCC officer in the Naval wing. Despite the female student coming to the institute with a formal complaint, the school's internal committee did not discover any proof of the claims she claimed. The probe didn't start until the Higher Education Department became aware of the situation. A Presidency University student from Kolkata filed a formal complaint with the internal committee of the university accusing Mahitosh Mandal, the former head of the department, of sexual harassment on July 17, 2022. It is believed that the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, is essential for protecting female employees from sexual harassment at the workplace. It is significant to highlight that educational institutions play a significant role...