Introduction

Social justice is essential to maintaining long-term peace and supporting economic progress. Social justice is enhanced by ensuring gender equality and the protection of women’s rights in labor law. Several laws have specific provisions to protect female employees. There are several restrictions, including rules on separate washrooms and childcare, the prohibition on hazardous work, a maximum limit for working hours, a maximum weight limit that women can lift, and a ban on night-time employment.

In labor law, there is a trend toward women’s empowerment. All that is needed is to understand rights and successfully execute them. We must still catch up as a nation to ensure women’s rights. This article is an effort to bring that out.

Sulochana, a Madhya Pradesh woman, said, “This work is challenging.” “My whole body hurts, but if we don’t work, there will be no money for us to save up for our children.”

I have to work now to help him pay it off,”/em> says>Mohsina Bibi. I must work to pay off,” says Mohsina Bi.

Most female workers are poor, illiterate, and unaware of their rights. They are often paid so tiny they can’t make ends meet. Most female workers prefer to work with their spouses and are often overlooked. Even though they are equally productive as their male counterparts, employers ignore women workers.

The Prohibition of Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act of 2013

The law outlines employers’ obligations to create a robust system in the event of complaints about sexual harassment by women workers. Section 4 requires the creation of an Internal Complaints Committee. Section 19 requires businesses to offer orientations, workshops, and awareness programs for employees to help them understand the dangers of sexual harassment.

The Factories Act of 1948

The law provides separate washrooms and toilets for women with doors. A factory that employs over 30 women must give a creche to the employees’ children. Women are not forced to lift weights greater than recommended or clean and lubricate moving machines. [7]

The Equal Remuneration Act of 1976

In 1976, the Equal Remuneration Act was passed to ensure equal pay for women and men workers. It also prohibited sexism in the workplace. In the People’s Union for Democratic Rights V. UoI [8], it was also held that the employer must pay equal wages to men and women for similar or identical work.

The Maternity Benefit Act of 1961

The maternity benefit pays a woman’s average daily wage for her absence from work, including her due date, plus six weeks afterward.

Women-Specific Laws

Women make up a large proportion of India’s workforce but are underrepresented in work participation and quality of jobs. This lack of female participation in the labor market is due to a lack of acceptable occupations, that is, a gap between their abilities and the jobs available.

[10] We must improve administration and police work to encourage women to enter the workforce.

The vulnerability of women in unfavorable circumstances is further exacerbated if there is an abrupt negative impact in the sector. They are already dealing with issues that are not fair.

[12] To bring women on par with men, they must be given equal rights under the labor law and special protection.

Reforms

The laws in place must be followed to comply with existing laws when we think about providing women with paid leave for menstruation. The rules that provide rights for women need to be checked. The government still needs to develop a mechanism to ensure that laws are being implemented.

Many women do not know they are entitled to such rights, even if there is a legal safeguard. It is essential to inform and educate these women about their rights. NGOs and student volunteers can play an essential role by organizing various seminars to educate women workers.

India must make a serious effort to develop and implement effective redressal mechanisms. To ensure the effective execution of these regulations and to resolve any complaints, it is best to begin at the bottom, that is, with the individual employers and firms. It ensures that actions are clearly defined and the results are.