Learning & Development Professional
The POSH Act 2013 is Indian law that makes sure workplaces prevent and deal with sexual harassment. If your company has 10 or more employees, this law directly applies to you whether you are an employer, an HR professional, or an employee.
Let’s be honest most of us have heard the term “POSH” thrown around in office emails or during a one-hour mandatory session where half the room was on their phones. Very few people actually know what the law says, what it covers, or most importantly that it protects both women and men.
In this blog, we’ll break it all down in simple language. No legal jargon. No confusing terms. Just the things you actually need to know about the POSH Act 2013, POSH awareness training, and how you can use this law to create a safer workplace for everyone.
The POSH full form stands for Prevention of Sexual Harassment. The full name of the act is Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 or the POSH Act 2013.
This act was introduced following a judgement by the Supreme Court in the year 1997. In the landmark case of Vishaka guidelines, the court observed that there were no laws in India preventing sexual harassment against women at their workplace. It was only after 16 years that Parliament enacted this law in 2013.
Did you Know : Though the POSH act refers to “women” in the act itself, it is common practice in many organizations to make it gender-neutral and cover even men, transgender individuals, and those belonging to other sexual orientations.
The POSH Act provides a comprehensive definition of sexual harassment at the workplace. It is not limited to physical conduct only. Here is a list of some of the conducts which are considered sexual harassment under the POSH Act:
The POSH Act defines sexual harassment at workplace very broadly. It’s not just about physical touch. It includes:
And the “workplace” is defined very broadly too. It doesn’t just mean your office cabin or cubicle. It includes:
Consider Priya, a 28-year-old woman, who is a marketing executive working for an office in Pune. Her manager is constantly sending her “complimentary” messages at odd hours via WhatsApp and also talking about her looks during the office meetings. Priya finds herself in a difficult situation, What you are experiencing is sexual harassment of women at workplace, and you have every right to file a complaint.
The most prevalent misunderstanding regarding the laws in question is the perception that these laws only protect women due to the name of the legislation. However, the truth is that the primary purpose of the POSH Act, passed in 2013, was indeed the protection of women since they are the main victims of harassment in the country. However, the purpose of these laws and company policies now is to cover all employees be they males, females, or other genders.
In fact, many advanced companies in India are already making their policies gender-neutral and go beyond mere compliance with the laws. Therefore, such companies usually protect all their employees regardless of their gender against any kind of harassment. This implies that a male employee suffering from harassment is able to report the issue to his or her company’s ICC as per the company policy on human resources.
According to the provisions of the POSH Act, all organizations having more than 10 workers are supposed to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), which will be an internal organization that shall deal with all sorts of complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace.
Internal Complaints Committee will comprise of the following members:
• A Presiding Officer, who is a senior woman employee.
• Not less than two other employee members who are dedicated to the cause of women and/or have expertise in social welfare or have legal background or Human Resource Management.
• An external member who is associated with some NGO, association, or organization related to sexual harassment cases and the rights of women.
It is necessary that not less than half of the total committee members must be women.
During a POSH awareness training session at a mid-sized IT company in Bengaluru, a male employee raised his hand and said, “I didn’t know that forwarding a meme in our office WhatsApp group could count as harassment.” That single moment of POSH awareness changed how the entire team communicated. This is exactly why regular training matters it clears confusion before it becomes a complaint.
Non-compliance is a serious matter. If a company fails to set up an ICC, doesn’t conduct POSH training for employees, or mishandles a complaint, it can face:
Beyond legal penalties, companies that ignore sexual harassment at workplace issues see higher attrition, lower morale, and a toxic culture that is very hard to reverse.
Not all training programs are created equal; a great POSH awareness session shouldn’t be a droning lecture or just another box to check. So, here’s what it needs to cover:
If you answered “No” to even one of these, it’s time for your HR team to act.
The POSH Act 2013 is not just a law it’s a commitment that every employee deserves to come to work without fear. Whether you’re an employer who needs to set up proper POSH training for employees, or a worker who just wants to know their rights, understanding this law is the first step. A workplace where people feel safe is not just a legal requirement it’s good business, good culture, and the right thing to do.
Yes. Any organisation with 10 or more employees including startups, NGOs, and even government offices must comply with the POSH Act. If you have fewer than 10 employees, you don’t need an internal ICC, but complaints can still be filed with the Local Complaints Committee (LCC) in your district.
Technically, the POSH Act 2013 was designed to protect women. However, most companies today have gender-neutral HR policies that extend similar protections to men and people of all genders. If you’re a man facing harassment, check your company’s internal policy you likely have a path to file a complaint under it.
POSH awareness refers to the general understanding employees have about what the law is, what counts as harassment, and what their rights are. POSH awareness training is the structured programme a company conducts through workshops, e-learning, or offline sessions to build that awareness systematically. Both are important, but training is what creates lasting awareness.
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The law requires at least one POSH awareness training session per year. However, many HR experts recommend doing it every 6 months especially when new employees join. New joiners should receive POSH training as part of their onboarding itself.
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Once a complaint is filed with the ICC, the committee has 90 days to complete the inquiry. During this time, both the complainant and the respondent are given a fair chance to present their side. The ICC then submits its findings and recommendations to the employer, who must act on them within 60 days.
Yes! Especially after the pandemic, the government has clarified that online POSH training programmes are valid. As long as the content covers the required topics and completion is documented, e-learning modules and virtual workshops are fully acceptable for compliance purposes.
Absolutely. The POSH Act covers all people at the workplace including clients, customers, contractors, and visitors. If a client is making you uncomfortable during a business meeting, that incident falls under the purview of the POSH Act and can be reported to your company’s ICC.
