Statutory Compliance
POSH - Sexual Harassment Prevention
Prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual harassment at the workplace, including Internal Committee processes and employee rights.
- track
- Statutory Compliance
- format
- Self-paced
What this module covers
Prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual harassment at the workplace, including Internal Committee processes and employee rights.
This is a self-paced training module that maps to Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. It is delivered inside the MedNext app so clinicians and hospital staff can work through it between shifts, with no live sessions or fixed deadlines.
What it covers in detail
POSH - Sexual Harassment Prevention
- What the Act defines as sexual harassment: unwelcome physical contact and advances, a demand or request for sexual favours, sexually coloured remarks, showing pornography, and any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.
- The employer's duty to constitute an Internal Committee (IC) at every workplace with 10 or more employees, and the role of the Local Committee for smaller establishments.
- The IC's composition, including a woman Presiding Officer and an external member from an NGO or someone familiar with issues of sexual harassment.
- The complaint and inquiry process: time limits for filing (ordinarily within three months), conciliation, the inquiry, interim relief and the IC's recommendations.
- Confidentiality obligations, protection against retaliation, and the consequences of a malicious or false complaint.
Who should complete this, and why
Every employee of a hospital, clinic or health institution is covered, and the employer carries a statutory duty to prevent harassment and provide a safe working environment. Managers and IC members need deeper familiarity with the inquiry process, but all staff should understand what conduct is prohibited, how to raise a complaint, and their protection from retaliation.
What you will be able to do after this module
On completion you should be able to
- Recognise conduct that amounts to sexual harassment under the Act.
- Explain how to file a complaint and the time limit that ordinarily applies.
- Describe the Internal Committee's role, composition and inquiry process.
- Understand the protections against retaliation and the confidentiality that surrounds a complaint.
Frequently asked questions
Which workplaces must have an Internal Committee?
Every employer with 10 or more employees must constitute an Internal Committee. Workplaces below that threshold, and complaints against the employer, are handled through the Local Committee constituted at the district level.
What is the time limit for filing a POSH complaint?
A complaint should ordinarily be filed within three months of the incident, or within three months of the last incident in a series. The Internal Committee may extend this period for reasons recorded in writing.
Is a male or non-binary employee protected under this Act?
The 2013 Act specifically protects aggrieved women at the workplace. Many employers extend equivalent internal policies to all staff, but the statutory Internal Committee mechanism under this Act is for complaints by women.
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Learn moreStart POSH - Sexual Harassment Prevention in the MedNext app
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