Employer's Duty under RA 7877 (Sexual Harassment)

DUTY OF THE EMPLOYER OR THE HEAD OF OFFICE

It is the duty of the employer or the head of the work-related, educational or training environment or institution, to prevent or deter the commission of acts of sexual harassment and to provide the procedures for the resolution or prosecution of acts of sexual harassment.

Towards this end, the employer or head of office is required to:

[1] Promulgate appropriate rules and regulations, in consultation with and jointly approved by the employees or students or trainees, through their duly designated representatives, prescribing the procedure for the investigation of sexual harassment cases and the administrative sanctions therefor. The said rules and regulations issued shall include, among others, guidelines on proper decorum in the workplace and educational or training institutions.
[2] Create a committee on decorum and investigation of cases on sexual harassment. The committee shall conduct meetings, as the case may be, with officers and employees, teachers, instructors, professors, coaches, trainers and students or trainees to increase understanding and prevent incidents of sexual harassment. It shall also conduct the investigation of alleged cases constituting sexual harassment.

In the case of work-related environment, the committee is composed of at least one (1) representative each from the management, the union, if any, the employees from the supervisory rank and from the rank-and-file employees.

In the case of educational or training institution, the committee is composed of at least one (1) representative from the administration, the trainors, teachers, instructors, professors, or coaches and students or trainees, as the case may be.