A Critical Assessment of Labour and Criminal Law Protections for Women Workers in India’s Service Industry

With increase in women working in India’s service sector particularly in hospitality, wellness, aviation, and entertainment there is a subsequent increase in workplace harassments. The current labour and criminal laws often fail to address these workplace vulnerabilities with efficiency. India has strong legal frameworks to deal with this like the IPC provisions, POSH Act (2013) and Labour Codes (2019–2020). But implementing these is a challenge and enforcement mechanisms are inadequate specially in semi-formal and unorganised setups. The aim of the study undertaken is to analyse these laws and to assess if they provide meaningful protection to women in service industry. The study has used a qualitative doctrinal approach with semi-structured interviews of women workers, HR professionals, and legal experts. The research explores systemic issues like absence of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) or wage disparities and legal illiteracy. The paper focuses on significant gaps in sector-specific protections as well as proposes policy reforms, practical interventions, and the need for inclusive research. The findings want to bring to notice the need of urgent reforms to ensure safety and dignity at work and are accessible to all working women.