Let us look at some of the legal rights at the workplace that one should definitely know about:
Equal remuneration and recruitment rights of women
This is a legal right derived from Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India. It talks about giving 'equal job and salary' opportunities to women. As per Section 4 of the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, no employer shall pay to any employee remuneration less favorable than an employee of the opposite sex, for performing the same work or work of a similar nature. Section 5 states that there shall be no discrimination by an employer towards women while making any recruitment, promotion, transfer, or training for the same work or work of a similar nature unless women are prohibited from doing such work as per law. However, this should not be interpreted to mean that two employees at the same level of work will get the same increment even if the quality of work and turnaround time varies, as organizations' appraisal systems take into account various factors.
Sexual harassment
Women have been the victims of sexual harassment in the workplace. This is a worldwide problem not only limited to our country, putting a negative impact on both men and women. In India, it was first flagged in the Vishaka Case and then in the Medha Kotwal case. The "Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013" ("the Act") was enacted, which covers public and private organizations, but the Act empowers only women to make complaints for sexual harassment at the workplace. However, employee-centric organizations make sure that they treat sexual harassment as an offense against both males and females under their service rules. Sexual harassment is usually associated with making unwelcome or uninvited advances to another employee or acting in a manner that creates a hostile working environment for the other employee. Nowadays, there have been cases reported where one employee harasses another employee of the same gender. The act does cover harassment by one female upon another but does not cover harassment of males, either by a male or female colleague. Any workplace with more than 10 employees should have an internal complaints committee, and if ICC has not been formulated, it may expose employers to a fine of up to Rs. 1 Lakh and cancellation of license as well. Enquiry proceedings (with final judgment) of any registered complaint should be completed within 90 days from the date of filing of the complaint, as per the Act.
Non-compete
This is one of the clauses which are imbibed in every appointment letter as a regular clause and invoked by the employers on the instances when the employee tries to terminate its employment and switch over to an organization that is a competitor of the current employer. One must know that Section 27 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, states that any agreement/clause by which anyone is restrained from exercising a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind is to that extent void. Also, according to Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India, 1949, all citizens have the right to practice any lawful profession or to carry on any occupation, trade, or business. The Supreme Court of India, in Gujarat Bottling Co. Ltd. v. Coca Cola Co., has made it clear that non-compete clauses operating beyond the term of the contract would not be enforceable as they would have the effect of restraining persons from exercising their right to freedom of trade and would hence be violative of Section 27 of the Contract Act. The Court in various other judgments has also tested non-compete clauses which are more specific in nature and restrict employees in specific situations and held that restrictions which are specific in nature and do not encroach upon a person's right under Article 19(1)(g) can be enforced. Therefore, a blanket restriction not to work with a competitor cannot be enforced by an employer.
Retrenchment/Lay-off
Lay-off under Section 2 (kkk) of the Industrial Disputes Act means failure, refusal, or inability of an employer to give employment to a workman whose name is on the muster rolls of his industrial establishment and who has not been retrenched, on account of lack of coal, lack of power, lack of raw material, overstocking of output, failure of machinery, due to natural calamity, or due to any other connected reason. Retrenchment under Section 2 (oo) means termination of service of an employee by an employer for any reason other than as a punishment due to disciplinary action. This does not include voluntary retirement, superannuation, non-renewal of contract, termination on the ground of continued ill-health. According to Section 25 (f) of the Industrial Dispute Act, any employee who has been under employment for a continuous period of one year or more cannot be retrenched by the employer until the employee has been given one month's notice, in writing, indicating the reasons for retrenchment or compensation has been paid which shall be equivalent to 15 days' average pay (for every completed year of continuous service), provided that the employee has not been dismissed due to disciplinary action. Also, in order to dismiss an employee on the ground of disciplinary action, a proper hearing is to be provided to the employee for making his or her case before the disciplinary committee. If the employee has been dismissed on false or arbitrary action, then the same can be challenged in labor courts.
Ergo, there are various laws in India, which safeguard the interest of the employees; it is just that the majority of us don’t have knowledge about such pivotal rights and this is the reason the employers, including the big players of the industry, don’t adhere to the laws which have been made mandatory for them to follow. Understanding your legal rights is the first step to taut them. It’s time to realize, rise, and fight against the wrong.
From India, Suri
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9Equal remuneration and recruitment rights of women
This is a legal right derived from Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India. It talks about giving 'equal job and salary' opportunities to women. As per Section 4 of the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, no employer shall pay to any employee remuneration less favorable than an employee of the opposite sex, for performing the same work or work of a similar nature. Section 5 states that there shall be no discrimination by an employer towards women while making any recruitment, promotion, transfer, or training for the same work or work of a similar nature unless women are prohibited from doing such work as per law. However, this should not be interpreted to mean that two employees at the same level of work will get the same increment even if the quality of work and turnaround time varies, as organizations' appraisal systems take into account various factors.
Sexual harassment
Women have been the victims of sexual harassment in the workplace. This is a worldwide problem not only limited to our country, putting a negative impact on both men and women. In India, it was first flagged in the Vishaka Case and then in the Medha Kotwal case. The "Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013" ("the Act") was enacted, which covers public and private organizations, but the Act empowers only women to make complaints for sexual harassment at the workplace. However, employee-centric organizations make sure that they treat sexual harassment as an offense against both males and females under their service rules. Sexual harassment is usually associated with making unwelcome or uninvited advances to another employee or acting in a manner that creates a hostile working environment for the other employee. Nowadays, there have been cases reported where one employee harasses another employee of the same gender. The act does cover harassment by one female upon another but does not cover harassment of males, either by a male or female colleague. Any workplace with more than 10 employees should have an internal complaints committee, and if ICC has not been formulated, it may expose employers to a fine of up to Rs. 1 Lakh and cancellation of license as well. Enquiry proceedings (with final judgment) of any registered complaint should be completed within 90 days from the date of filing of the complaint, as per the Act.
Non-compete
This is one of the clauses which are imbibed in every appointment letter as a regular clause and invoked by the employers on the instances when the employee tries to terminate its employment and switch over to an organization that is a competitor of the current employer. One must know that Section 27 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, states that any agreement/clause by which anyone is restrained from exercising a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind is to that extent void. Also, according to Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India, 1949, all citizens have the right to practice any lawful profession or to carry on any occupation, trade, or business. The Supreme Court of India, in Gujarat Bottling Co. Ltd. v. Coca Cola Co., has made it clear that non-compete clauses operating beyond the term of the contract would not be enforceable as they would have the effect of restraining persons from exercising their right to freedom of trade and would hence be violative of Section 27 of the Contract Act. The Court in various other judgments has also tested non-compete clauses which are more specific in nature and restrict employees in specific situations and held that restrictions which are specific in nature and do not encroach upon a person's right under Article 19(1)(g) can be enforced. Therefore, a blanket restriction not to work with a competitor cannot be enforced by an employer.
Retrenchment/Lay-off
Lay-off under Section 2 (kkk) of the Industrial Disputes Act means failure, refusal, or inability of an employer to give employment to a workman whose name is on the muster rolls of his industrial establishment and who has not been retrenched, on account of lack of coal, lack of power, lack of raw material, overstocking of output, failure of machinery, due to natural calamity, or due to any other connected reason. Retrenchment under Section 2 (oo) means termination of service of an employee by an employer for any reason other than as a punishment due to disciplinary action. This does not include voluntary retirement, superannuation, non-renewal of contract, termination on the ground of continued ill-health. According to Section 25 (f) of the Industrial Dispute Act, any employee who has been under employment for a continuous period of one year or more cannot be retrenched by the employer until the employee has been given one month's notice, in writing, indicating the reasons for retrenchment or compensation has been paid which shall be equivalent to 15 days' average pay (for every completed year of continuous service), provided that the employee has not been dismissed due to disciplinary action. Also, in order to dismiss an employee on the ground of disciplinary action, a proper hearing is to be provided to the employee for making his or her case before the disciplinary committee. If the employee has been dismissed on false or arbitrary action, then the same can be challenged in labor courts.
Ergo, there are various laws in India, which safeguard the interest of the employees; it is just that the majority of us don’t have knowledge about such pivotal rights and this is the reason the employers, including the big players of the industry, don’t adhere to the laws which have been made mandatory for them to follow. Understanding your legal rights is the first step to taut them. It’s time to realize, rise, and fight against the wrong.
From India, Suri
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Dear Madam MADHUPARNA DASGUPTA Ji,
Thank you very much for your post. It is a very good article, but the author of the same is Mr. Kanishk Agarwal, and it seems you have copied and pasted it here. Or is it your own article, and Mr. Kanishk Agarwal has copied and pasted your article? Either way, it is a serious matter and an offense.
I am writing this only to raise awareness among us about the act of merely copying and pasting without giving due credit to the real author, which is an offense and nothing else.
From India, Mumbai
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Thank you very much for your post. It is a very good article, but the author of the same is Mr. Kanishk Agarwal, and it seems you have copied and pasted it here. Or is it your own article, and Mr. Kanishk Agarwal has copied and pasted your article? Either way, it is a serious matter and an offense.
I am writing this only to raise awareness among us about the act of merely copying and pasting without giving due credit to the real author, which is an offense and nothing else.
From India, Mumbai
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