Women must be treated with dignity at workplace: HC

New Delhi: Women should be honoured and treated with dignity at workplace, the Delhi High Court said Wednesday and observed that employers must be considerate and sympathetic towards a pregnant employee.

The high court said the employer must realise the physical difficulties that a woman would face in performing her duties at the workplace while carrying a baby in her womb or looking after the child after birth.

The court's observations came while directing the Delhi government to include a woman in the panel for guest teachers and utilise her services as and when required by any school here, subject to her medical fitness.

"Women who constitute almost half of the segment of our society have to be given due weightage and honoured and treated with dignity at places where they work to earn their livelihood. To become a mother is the most natural phenomena in the life of a woman," Justice Suresh Kait said.

"Whatever is needed to facilitate the birth of child to a woman who is in service, the employer has to be considerate and sympathetic towards her and must realise the physical difficulties which a working woman would face in performing her duties at the workplace while carrying a baby in the womb or while looking after the child after birth," the court added.

It directed the office of Deputy Directorate of Education of the Delhi government to issue necessary order to this effect within two weeks.