What Is POSH? Full Form, Meaning, and Everything You Need to Know

Safety in the workplace is not just about physical security, but it also entails ensuring the maintenance of one’s dignity and respect. It is the liberty to work without any fear or qualms. This is where the POSH policy and POSH law make an entry. It is not just a legal structure but also a commitment of a company to protect the interests and feelings of employees.

 As Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta and author of Lean In, has said, “Workplaces should be safe spaces — where respect is not an option, and dignity is not negotiable.”

Let us walk you through the various facets of POSH that you, as an organisation and your HR team, must comply with:

What Is POSH? Full Form and Meaning

Understanding the POSH meaning has become paramount in the current sensitive work environment for both male and female employees. In 2025 alone, the National Commission for Women (NCW) registered 27,672 total complaints related to crimes against women, a portion of which includes workplace harassment.

Simply put, POSH defines workplace practices ensuring employees experience safety, dignity, respect, fair grievance handling, and harassment prevention.

The POSH full form is the Prevention of Sexual Harassment.  It is a mandatory legal framework under the 2013 Act, crafted to protect women from sexual harassment at the workplace. The POSH at Workplace Act of India mandates every organisation to highlight its sexual harassment policies, prevention structures, procedures, and service rules for its employees.

The data from the most recent fiscal cycles (FY24 and FY25) reported that complaints are increasing. A 2024 analysis of India’s top 10 private companies suggested a 79% increase in reported complaints over the last four years.

Who Is Covered Under the POSH Act?

The POSH Act covers any woman who complains about harassment at a workplace, irrespective of their employment status. It can be permanent or temporary employees, interns, volunteers, consultants, or even visitors, and domestic workers.

The POSH law applies to:

• Government & Private Sector Organisations, NGOs, Hospitals, Sports Institutes.

• Places visited during employment (including employer-provided transport).

• Dwelling places/houses (for domestic workers).
• Unorganised sector workplaces (less than 10 workers)

What are the Key Components of a POSH Policy?

Addressing POSH-related incidents requires sensitivity and discretion, and a robust POSH HR policy will entail a detailed and clear definition of sexual harassment. Here are some of the vital components you need to consider while preparing a practical POSH policy and procedures:

1.  Purpose and Reach

Your organisation’s policy must be designed in a manner that clearly defines the objectives of preventing sexual harassment. and how it is applicable to all employees, including contractual, temporary, and visitors at the workplace.

2. Defining Sexual harassment

Explicitly outlines what a sexual act is and what is unwelcome, like physical, verbal, non-verbal, or quid pro quo, as per the POSH Act.

3. Constitution of the Internal Committee (IC)

The POSH Act policy explains the composition of the IC in details and the committee includes a presiding woman officer, at least 50% women members, and an external member.

4. Grievance Redressal Framework

A detailed structure is crafted where it is clearly defined as to how the process of filing complaints will happen; there is a clear mention of a 90-day timeline for inquiries, confidentiality protocols, and protection against retaliation for the complainant.

5. Penalties and Disciplinary Measures

In this section of the policy, it clearly mentions the actions to be taken against offenders, such as warnings, termination, or any legal action.

6. Training and Awareness

This mandates organisations to formulate training and awareness plans for employees on a regular basis, along with capacity-building workshops for IC members.

7. Responsibilities of the Employer

The policy also emphasises the duties and role of an employer to provide a safe office landscape, facilitate the disclosure of penal provisions, and offer support in legal proceedings.

What Is an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)?

An Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) is a legal body that is mandatory, under India’s POSH Act, 2013, for enterprises with 10 or more employees. The committee is formed in a way that it can prevent, prohibit, and redress sexual harassment of women at the workplace.

It is a safe space where complaints are lodged and investigated, ensuring a safe environment. The body must include a female presiding officer, employee members, and an external member.

What is the POSH Complaint Handling Process?

For employee welfare, you as a company must handle the POSH complaints very cautiously, considering the pros and cons. Here is a detailed breakdown of the POSH complaint handling process:

1. Compliant Submission

The first stage is for the affected woman to lodge a written complaint to the IC within three months of the incident; it can be extended for another three months if there are valid reasons.  The IC can assist with writing the complaint if the woman is unable to do so.

2. Preliminary Assessment and Conciliation

The IC will first review whether the complaint falls under its jurisdiction, which includes whether the complaint is related to the workplace, if it is filed within the prescribed time limit, and if it caters to the definition of sexual harassment. Before a formal inquiry begins, the IC may facilitate conciliation if the complainant requests it. However, conciliation cannot involve any monetary settlement.

3. Formal Inquiry

The process of formal inquiry will then start if conciliation fails or is not requested. Both parties are required to be present before the IC and are interviewed separately, where they present evidence, witnesses, documents, etc.

4. Timeline

The inquiry procedure must be completed within 90 days

5. Final Findings and Steps Taken

Within 10 days of completing the inquiry process, the IC must submit its final report to the employer and both parties. Depending on the report, if a party is found guilty, then the employer must implement recommendations and act in a span of 60 days.

6. Confidentiality Clause

POSH law is very strict regarding confidentiality, & any breach of confidentiality will result in severe penalties.

What are the Employer Responsibilities Under POSH Law?

The POSH Act clearly outlines that employers must create a safe workspace for employees, and to do so as an organisation, you will have certain responsibilities you must follow. Here are some of the vital employer duties:

1. Formulation of Policy

You must draft a detailed and transparent policy that clearly mentions the prohibition of sexual harassment, and it must also display the consequences.

2. Establishment of IC

You must set up an IC at each office or branch with 10 or more employees to redress complaints.

3. Training and Awareness Drives

You must conduct training programmes and workshops for employees and initiate capacity-building training for IC members.

4. Complaint Resolution

You, with your HR team, must ensure that complaints are handled correctly, with empathy, & provide necessary assistance to the IC.

5. Reporting and Compliance

Another significant responsibility is to monitor the timely submission of reports by the IC and file annual reports with the District Officer.

Use Case- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is known for robust Internal Committee structures, regular POSH trainings, and strong ethics frameworks.

What are the Employee Rights Under POSH Law?

Here is a detailed list of employee rights specified under the POSH Act:

Employee Right under POSH Law	Description
Right to a Safe Workplace	Employers are required to provide a safe and secure work environment free from sexual harassment.
Right to File a Complaint	An aggrieved woman may file a written complaint with the Internal Committee (IC) within 3 months of the incident, extendable by another 3 months for valid reasons.
Right to Confidentiality	The identities of the complainant, respondent, witnesses, and details of the proceedings must be kept confidential. Any breach of confidentiality is punishable under the law.
Right to Interim Relief	During the inquiry, the complainant may request temporary relief, such as a transfer of herself or the respondent, or a grant of leave for up to three months.
Right to Protection Against Retaliation	Employees are protected against victimisation, discrimination, or retaliation for raising a POSH complaint or participating in the inquiry.
Right to Participate in Awareness Programs	Employers must conduct regular POSH awareness and sensitisation programs to educate employees about their rights and responsibilities.
Right to Appeal	If dissatisfied with the IC’s findings or recommendations, the complainant has

What are the Penalties for Non-Compliance with POSH Law?

On 12 August 2025, the Supreme Court, in Aureliano Fernandes v. State of Goa, Miscellaneous Application Diary No(S).22553/2023, reiterated that implementation of the POSH Act cannot remain a formality, but is a statutory duty, enforceable through structured oversight.

The Court drew attention to Section 26 of the POSH Act, which prescribes penalties of up to Rs 50,000 for failure to constitute ICCs or for other non-compliances with the Act.

The following are the other penalties you should know about:

1. Repeated Offences

If an individual is convicted for the second time, the fine can be doubled up to Rs 1 Lakh, and the employer may face cancellation or non-renewal of their business license.

2. Operational & Legal Risks

Non-compliance can also result in the revocation of the license. Courts may impose exemplary damages if the company fails to provide a safe working environment.

3. Brand Reputation Damage

The reputation of a company can be severely damaged.

4. Severe Penalties for Negligence

If any negligence is found on the part of the employer in not acting on the recommendations of the Internal Committee, they are subject to the same penalties.

What is the Importance of POSH Training & Awareness?

The objective of the POSH policy is to create a safe work environment for employees and educate them about how to be aware of and prevent any sexual harassment in the workplace. There must be regular training sessions and workshops to spread awareness. Let us find out the importance.

1. Reduces Legal Risks

As an organisation, you can diminish the risk of legal consequences, penalties, and other complications if you conduct regular training workshops.

2. Promotes Safe Culture

Fostering a safe workplace leads to employees feeling valued and encouraged to speak up and put forward their concerns when required.

3. Explaining Acceptable Conduct

Training will make employees understand the components that define sexual harassment, providing them with clarity on boundaries and reducing misunderstandings or misconduct.

3. Enhanced Productivity and Morale

A landscape that is safe and inclusive will have employees feeling fulfilled and empowered to contribute better towards the company’s growth and goals.

4. Dissuade Frequent Incidents

Organisations with an increased level of training and awareness will have lower chances of harassment incidents, as it will help prevent incidents from occurring.

What are the Common Challenges in POSH Implementation?

POSH implementation can be an ordeal for many organisations, as they may find themselves grappling with a slew of challenges. Let us find out what the hurdles are:

1. Lack of IC Training and Capacity Building

It is noticed that IC members often have inadequate knowledge about the legal aspects to understand, document, or deal with complaints, causing procedural inconsistencies.

2. Insufficient Training and Awareness

Employees might underreport as they fail to understand the proper definition of sexual harassment due to inadequate training systems and awareness.

3. Stigma and Fear of Consequences

Victims often are scared to report incidents as they fear that it will backfire, adversely impacting their career and future life goals.

4. Breach in Confidentiality

It may often happen that sensitive information related to complaints is leaked improperly, resulting in diminished trust.

5. Dearth of Leadership Commitment

Higher management might not support and approve of all the policies, creating cultural speedbumps, delaying procedures, and preventing open interactions.

What are the 5 Best Practices for Effective POSH Compliance?

Here are 5 best practices to improve the effectiveness of POSH compliance:

1. Setting Up Robust POSH Policy Structure

Your primary goal as a company would be to establish a high-impact policy with clarity in defining sexual harassment, specifying responsibilities, roles, and consequences comprehensively.

2. Provide Safe Complaint Channels

You need to ensure that there are several accessible channel options where employees can report with complete confidentiality and protection.

3. Adopt Transparent, Documented Processes

You must follow statutorily compliant procedures. The process must be unbiased for all parties. You must also diligently record proceedings, evidence, and documents.

4. Promote Open Dialogues

It is the duty of your top management and leaders to create an environment where employees can feel free and fearless to open up about their concerns and address their issues proactively.

5. Analyse, Audit and Enhance Processes

You must keep track of cases and trends and review them periodically. You must ensure to update policies aligning with the changing laws and norms.

How is POSH Policy Structured for Remote & Hybrid Workplaces?

The POSH Act, 2013, states that the workplace is not confined to physical premises, but entails any location visited by the employee during employment, including virtual meetings, messaging platforms, emails, and home offices. So, the POSH policy and procedures are designed to cater to these factors. Let us look at the framework that can be created for remote and hybrid workplaces:

1. Broaden Workplace Interpretation

The policy formulated must clearly suggest that the workplace includes work-from-home models or work from any remote location. It should also state that virtual meetings, digital workspaces, emails, chats, etc, are also included.

2. Encompass Virtual and Digital Harassment

The policy must acknowledge harassment caused through channels like emails, messaging apps, internal platforms, video calls, etc. Also, it must be noted that incessant intrusive calls post-work hours should also be mentioned in the policy.

3. Robust Complaint and Reporting Mediums

The policy for remote and hybrid work modes must mention secure reporting and complaint channels that can include email IDs or online complaint forms, an option of reporting virtually to any IC member, etc.

4. Virtual IC Activities

As it is remote and hybrid work, the policy must allow secure systems of online hearings and video conferencing, a system where statements can be submitted digitally, and virtual conciliation meetings should be facilitated.

5. Safeguards from Retaliation in Virtual Settings

The police must cater to retaliation risks exclusively applicable to remote work, like inconsistent communication, unfair work allocation, exclusion from virtual meetings, bad reviews, and performance feedback, etc.

How Alp Can Help with Posh Policy Implementation?

Alp Consulting Ltd can be your ally in designing a comprehensive POSH policy and in its implementation by partnering with you and building impactful training programs catering to your workplace requirements.

From drafting and improvising polices aligning with the government’s legal protocols to ensuring that the framework is legally solid with proper reporting procedures, we will assist you with any help you need. We will also help you with establishing your Internal Complaint Committee and support you with capacity-building programs.

Key Takeaways

• POSH establishes mandatory workplace safeguards ensuring dignity, respect, grievance redressal mechanisms, & legally compliant harassment prevention frameworks.

• Employers must constitute Internal Committees, conduct regular training, maintain confidentiality, and ensure timely complaint investigation processes.

• POSH protections extend across physical, remote, & virtual workplaces, covering employees, interns, visitors, consultants, and domestic workers.

• Non-compliance attracts financial penalties, license risks, reputational damage, and heightened judicial scrutiny under statutory enforcement mechanisms.

• Effective POSH policy implementation requires leadership commitment, robust policies, transparent processes, continuous awareness programs, & periodic compliance audits

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Posh Policy​?

The POSH Policy (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) is a mandatory framework in India under the 2013 Act, created to protect women from sexual harassment at the workplace.

2. What is Posh Policy Full Form?

The full form of the POSH policy is Prevention of Sexual Harassment.

3. What is Posh Law Full Form?

POSH law stands for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment law, governing workplace safety, employee dignity, grievance redressal, and mandatory employer compliance obligations in India.

4. What is the POSH policy in Corporates?

A POSH policy is a mandatory framework in India that all corporate companies in India need to implement to prevent sexual harassment in workplaces.

5. What is the Posh Act 2013?

The POSH Act, which is essentially the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) 2013, was enacted to protect women from sexual harassment and provide a safe and secure work environment.

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