WHAT IS PoSH ACT?

The Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act at Workplace mandates every organization to define its sexual harassment policies, prevention systems, procedures, and rules for its employees. Recent reports indicate an increase in the number of registered cases of sexual harassment at workplace. Also, the number of women in the corporate world reporting such serious incidents is increasing. Such workplace incidents can be stressful for employees and the entire organization. Such actions result in undesirable physical and emotional consequences. It adversely affects the productivity of employees and creates an unpleasant atmosphere. 

What is sexual harassment?

Any form of discrimination that includes unwelcome attention of a sexual nature is considered sexual harassment. It covers a range of behaviour from seemingly minor offenses and harassment to actual sexual abuse or sexual assault. Anyone of either gender can be a victim of sexual harassment, and anyone of either gender can be a perpetrator.

Sexual harassment also includes co-workers engaging in verbal or physical harassing behaviour that has the potential to humiliate or embarrass the employee or the company.

Application of PoSH Act

The PoSH Act as a mandatory compliance requires every company having more than ten employees to set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in a prescribed manner to receive and deal with complaints of any kind of sexual harassment against women within a time limit and in a confidential manner.