You have more than 10 employees in your business (or you plan to grow to that size, perhaps, in the next couple of years).
You have made sure your HR team has read and understood the Supreme Court of India Vishaka Judgement on Sexual Harassment.
Your HR team understands all the nuances and intricacies of how “sexual harassment” is defined by the laws of India.
Your HR team knows and has set up an Internal Committee as per law, registered it, and appointed the correct internal/external members.
Your HR team is confident its Internal Committee is doing the job right, and if challenged it can uphold its practices in a Court of Law.
Your HR team will be able to claim and prove it is doing the best job to create a truly fearless workplace with fairer organizational ethics.
Your HR team keeps up with the latest in the law, and it upgrades its activities regularly with expert specialized legal help.
If you’ve scored less than 3 out of 7 in the quiz above, you need help …
POSH (Prevention Of Sexual Harassment) is a law that mandates that every Indian business – public or private – with over 10 employees, must have an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) with the legally-indicated composition and procedures. The POSH law also insists that your business must counsel your employees about the law – and train them to air their issues in the right way and in the forum that you create for them.
If you don’t have such an Internal Complaints Committee in place or you don’t know how to set it up…. or you have one that’s not working right or you haven’t trained your employees on the law and its usage I can help you.
I am Sumathi Lokesh. I am not only a successful advocate based in Chennai, and working on diverse cases at the Madras High Court, but I am also an expert in Criminology. More importantly, I am a POSH Certified Trainer. I offer my services as the head of the POSH Training Centres at various businesses and workplaces, where I conduct well-being programmes for stress management, as well as POSH awareness programmes.
My services to your business would include not just training for your HR Staff on the POSH Law Implementations, but I also can serve as your External Committee Member that the law insists every Internal Complaints Committee must have. Check out the section of this site below to see my step-by-step services that you can avail …
“Industries or workplaces cannot apply a standard one-size-fits-all policy to constitute their POSH Committees. Every business needs customized and specialized POSH implementation according to the requirements of the law, their workers and workplaces.”
– SUMATHI LOKESH
Watch a YouTube video of Podhigai TV’s interview with Sumathi Lokesh where she explains POSH and its ramifications comprehensively (the video is in Tamil) … https://youtu.be/rRA72uEBRrU
Visiting the workplaces of businesses and industries, meeting the Management & HR teams, and assessing the POSH requirements of the employees and employers.
Training the Management & HR Teams, all the employees, the Internal Complaints Committee on the processes, procedures and compliances to be followed.
Conducting a POSH awareness programme for the business, and presenting a customized solution for the formation of an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
Helping the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) with the development of the Final Reports and the regular filing of the Annual Report before Statutory Authorities.
Helping select appropriate candidates for the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). and accepting to officiate as the External Commitce Member for support.
Periodically upgrading the knowledge of the Management/HR Teams, the employees, and the ICC members on the latest amendments and changes to the POSH Law.
1. What will happen if a business with over ten employees does not implement POSH?
It is legally mandatory to implement POSH and to conduct POSH training for employees. Your organization can attract heavy penalties like a fine of INR 50,000 for a first time offence and/or cancellation of business license for repeated offence, if the law is not followed.
2. How will my business suffer in non-legal ways as a result of avoiding the POSH mandates?
Sexual harassment can hamper productivity of not only the victims, but also other employees. The reputation and goodwill of your organization can also be damaged if employees decide to reveal their traumatic experiences Of sexual harassment via social media.
3. On the contrary, how can my business benefit through implementation of the POSH provisions?
Overall, POSH training helps improve employee retention and the quality of workplace culture. Sensitizing employees through POSH courses and programs can safeguard the organization’s reputation and ensure customer retention.
4. What kinds of organizations absolutely must implement POSH?
Industries, Companies, Shops, Offices, Schools, Colleges, Hospitals, Government Organizations, Government Agencies, Public & Private Sector Undertakings, Corporations, Cooperative Societies, Trusts, NGOs, Service Providers in Sports, Finance, Commerce, Vocational Training the list is endless. Even households with more than ten employees are included in the ambit of the POSH law.
5. What are the penalty provisions that the POSH law carries?
Your business can be subjected to a penalty of up to INR 50,000 if you fail to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee or fail to act on the recommendations of this Committee. You can also be penalized if you don’t file an annual report to the District Officer, or if you try to contravene the Act or Rules. In serious cases, you may fined even more – or your business license for carrying on business or activities may be canceled, withdrawn, or refused renewal.
6. Can you give me a convincing argument why I should implement POSH rightaway?
Providing a safe workspace to employees is a legal right. Sexual harassment creates a defilement of this right. Organizations have the key responsibility of preventing, prohibiting and having redressal mechanisms in sexual harassment cases. The POSH Act provides guidelines to create a safe and secure environment for employees. Awareness of the POSH Act and its implementation results in creation of safe, inclusive and dignified workplaces.
If you too have a drive to improve the safety of our workplaces, and make them protective of both their people and ethics, help us reach out to more organizations.
Connect us to more businesses ready to implement the POSH legal mandate.
Together let’s inspire them to become fearless workplaces fostering a fairer world.
Contact Person: Sumathi Lokesh
#Push4Posh, S2, Shiki Tower Apartments, No.1/6, Sathyavathi Nagar,
Padi, Chennai, Tamilnadu 600050, India.
Email: [email protected] | Mobile: +91 99529 65421
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