In short: A POSH complaint India workplace 2026 is governed by the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The law covers all women regardless of age or employment status, sets strict deadlines for employers and committees, and carries financial penalties for non-compliance.
Key points
- The POSH Act protects all women workers — permanent, contractual, domestic, or otherwise — across both organised and unorganised sectors in India.
- Every workplace with 10 or more employees must have an Internal Committee (IC); smaller workplaces are covered by a government-appointed Local Committee (LC) in each district.
- A complaint must ordinarily be filed within three months of the incident, or from the last incident in a series. The IC can extend this by a further three months if circumstances justify it.
- The IC must complete its inquiry within 90 days and submit its report to the employer within 10 days of concluding the inquiry. Employers must then act on the recommendations within 60 days.
- Non-compliance attracts a fine of Rs. 50,000 for a first violation, and repeat violations can lead to double fines or cancellation of business licences.
- The government’s SHe-Box portal, relaunched in August 2024, offers women a single online window to file complaints. Parliamentary data shows 254 complaints were filed on the portal in 2025 alone.
What is the POSH Act and who does it protect?
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 came into force on 9 December 2013. Its primary aim is to provide a safe and secure working environment for women across India.
The Act’s protection is deliberately broad. It covers all women irrespective of age or employment status — whether they are salaried employees, contract workers, trainees, domestic workers, or women working in the unorganised sector. Both public and private sector workplaces are covered.
The definition of “workplace” is interpreted expansively. If you work remotely or at a client’s premises, you are still likely covered. The spirit of the law follows the woman to wherever she is required to work.
What committees handle POSH complaints in India?
The Act creates two separate complaint bodies depending on the size of the workplace.
Internal Committee (IC)
Any employer with 10 or more employees must constitute an Internal Committee. The IC is the primary forum for complaints in most organised workplaces.
The composition of the IC is specified in the Act. The Presiding Officer must be a senior woman employee. At least two members must come from among the workforce and have a commitment to the cause of women, or relevant experience in social work or law. Critically, one external member must be drawn from an NGO or must be a person familiar with issues relating to sexual harassment. At least half the total members of the IC must be women. All members are appointed for a term of up to three years.
Local Committee (LC)
Where a workplace has fewer than 10 employees, or where the complaint is against the employer personally, a Local Committee set up by the District Officer handles the matter. This ensures that workers in small enterprises and the unorganised sector are not left without a remedy.
How do you file a POSH complaint India workplace 2025?
Step 1 — Understand your time limit
You must ordinarily file a written complaint within three months from the date of the incident. If the harassment involved a series of incidents, the three-month clock runs from the date of the last incident. Do not delay — time limits are strictly applied.
The IC does have limited power to condone a delay. If you can show that circumstances prevented you from filing earlier, the IC may extend the deadline by a further three months. Beyond that, the IC has no power to accept a late complaint.
Step 2 — File a written complaint
Your complaint must be in writing, addressed to the IC or LC as appropriate. If you are physically or otherwise unable to write the complaint yourself, the committee is required to assist you in reducing it to writing.
Step 3 — Use SHe-Box for central government and public sector workplaces
The government launched the revamped SHe-Box portal on 29 August 2024. It provides a single-window platform for women to file complaints online. According to Parliamentary data, 296 complaints were received through SHe-Box since the portal’s relaunch, including 254 in 2025. If you work in a central government ministry or a public sector undertaking, SHe-Box is a useful starting point.
What happens after you file — the inquiry timeline
Once a complaint is received, the process follows a defined timeline. The table below summarises the key deadlines every HR manager and employee should know.
| Stage | Who acts | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the inquiry | Internal Committee / Local Committee | Within 90 days of receiving the complaint |
| Submit inquiry report to employer | Internal Committee / Local Committee | Within 10 days of concluding the inquiry |
| Implement recommendations | Employer | Within 60 days of receiving the IC report |
Can you get interim relief during the inquiry?
Yes. During the inquiry process, the IC has the power to recommend interim measures to protect the complainant. These include transferring either the complainant or the respondent to a different department or location, granting the complainant up to three months of paid leave over and above her regular leave entitlement, or directing that the respondent shall not report on the complainant’s work performance during the inquiry period.
These interim reliefs are important — you do not have to wait for the inquiry to conclude before seeking some protection from day-to-day contact with the respondent.
One thing the Act expressly prohibits: monetary conciliation
The Act makes clear that no monetary settlement shall form the basis of conciliation. This prevents situations where a complainant is pressured into accepting a cash payment to drop a complaint. If anyone — including your employer or a committee member — suggests a money-based settlement to close your complaint, that is itself a violation of the law.
What are the penalties for employers who do not comply?
Employers who fail to constitute an IC, implement IC recommendations, or otherwise comply with the Act face real financial consequences. A first violation attracts a penalty of Rs. 50,000. Repeat violations can result in double that fine. In more serious cases, the employer’s business licence or registration may be cancelled or not renewed — a significant risk for SMEs and startups that depend on regulatory licences to operate.
For a fuller overview of compliance obligations across employment and labour law, you can explore the Law for You guides on The Courtroom, which cover related topics in plain language for employees, founders, and HR teams.
What employers and HR managers must do right now
For workplaces with 10 or more employees
Constitute or review your IC immediately. Check that your Presiding Officer is a senior woman employee, that the external member is validly appointed, and that women form at least half the membership. Confirm that no IC member’s term has expired — members serve for up to three years and must be reappointed.
For all employers regardless of size
Display the Act’s provisions prominently at the workplace. Conduct awareness and sensitisation programmes. Maintain records of complaints, inquiries, and actions taken, because regulators may ask for these during inspections.
Frequently asked questions
Does the POSH Act cover contractual, part-time, and domestic workers?
Yes. The Act protects all women irrespective of age or employment status, which expressly includes domestic workers and workers in the unorganised sector. If you work in any capacity — permanent, temporary, contractual, or informal — you are covered.
What if my employer has fewer than 10 employees and there is no IC?
Workplaces with fewer than 10 employees are covered by the Local Committee set up by the District Officer in every district. You can approach the LC directly. The LC also handles complaints where the accused is the employer themselves, regardless of workplace size.
Can I file a POSH complaint online in 2025?
Yes, if you work in a central government ministry or a public sector undertaking, you can file your complaint through the government’s SHe-Box portal, which was relaunched on 29 August 2024 as a single-window online platform. For private sector workplaces, complaints are filed directly with the employer’s IC in writing.
Primary sources
- Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 — India Code (indiacode.nic.in)
- Supreme Court of India — for judicial pronouncements on the POSH Act (sci.gov.in)
- Press Information Bureau, Government of India — official notifications and parliamentary data (pib.gov.in)
- SHe-Box Portal — online complaint filing platform for women (shebox.nic.in)
Written by Editorial Team, The Courtroom · Last verified 2026-07-13
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Laws change; verify against the primary sources cited and consult a qualified advocate for your situation.
