What is the POSH Act, 2013?

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 is the Indian law that requires employers to prevent sexual harassment, set up a complaint mechanism and redress complaints in a fair and time-bound manner.

Is an Internal Committee mandatory?

Yes. Under Section 4 of the POSH Act, 2013, every employer with 10 or more employees must constitute an Internal Committee (IC) at each office or branch. Workplaces with fewer than 10 employees are covered by the Local Committee set up by the District Officer.

What is the time limit to file a complaint?

A complaint should be made in writing within 3 months of the incident (or of the last incident in a series). The committee can extend this by another 3 months if circumstances prevented the woman from filing earlier.

How long does a POSH inquiry take?

The Internal Committee must complete its inquiry within 90 days of receiving the complaint and share its report with the employer within 10 days of completing it. The employer must act on the recommendations within 60 days.

Can Poshaw help my organisation comply?

Yes. From policy drafting and IC formation to training and annual reports, we provide end-to-end POSH compliance support. Contact us for a free consultation.

^{Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013}

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, commonly known as the POSH Act, provides the statutory framework for prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual harassment of women at the workplace in India.

The Act establishes obligations for employers and provides a mechanism for addressing complaints of sexual harassment through Internal Committees (ICs) and Local Committees (LCs), as applicable.

At POSHAW, we are making the text of the POSH Act available in English and Hindi as a reference resource for employers, HR professionals, Internal Committee members, employees and other stakeholders seeking to understand the legal framework.

What does the POSH Act cover?

The Act broadly provides for:

Prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace
Prohibition of sexual harassment
Redressal of complaints of sexual harassment
Constitution of the Internal Committee
Constitution and functioning of the Local Committee
Procedure for making and dealing with complaints
Inquiry into complaints
Duties and responsibilities of employers
Duties and responsibilities of the Internal Committee
Protection of confidentiality during proceedings
Action in cases of false or malicious complaints, as provided under the Act
Annual reporting and other compliance requirements
Penalties for non-compliance with specified provisions

Who should refer to the POSH Act?

This resource may be useful for:

Employers and Organisations

To understand statutory obligations relating to workplace sexual harassment prevention and redressal.

HR & Compliance Professionals

To support workplace compliance and implementation of POSH requirements.

Internal Committee Members

To understand the statutory framework governing their constitution, functions and inquiry responsibilities.

Employees

To understand workplace rights, responsibilities and the complaint mechanism available under the law.

Legal & Compliance Professionals

For reference while advising organisations on POSH-related matters.

Need the Hindi Version?

The Hindi version of the POSH Act, 2013 is available on request. Please write to info@poshaw.in and we will share the PDF with you.

POSH Act, 2013 – Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act | English

^{Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013}

What does the POSH Act cover?

Who should refer to the POSH Act?

Frequently Asked Questions