Entity · EOR · Payroll · Compliance

IRPR
Payroll and Labour|Glossary entry|2 min read

POSH Act

Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act/PoSH

Statutory framework requiring all workplaces to prevent, prohibit, and redress sexual harassment of women at work.

Filing window

ICC constitution mandatory for all workplaces with 10 or more employees; annual report by 31 January

Regulator

Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at each workplace; Local Complaints Committee at district level

Regulator

Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at each workplace; Local Complaints Committee at district level

Deadline

ICC constitution mandatory for all workplaces with 10 or more employees; annual report by 31 January

Penalty

Up to INR 50,000 fine for non-constitution of ICC; repeat of...

Legal basis

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

§ 01
Definition

What is POSH Act?

Statutory framework requiring all workplaces to prevent, prohibit, and redress sexual harassment of women at work.

Applies to
  • +All establishments employing the prescribed threshold of employees
  • +Indian subsidiaries of foreign parents
  • +EOR partners managing distributed Indian workforces
§ 02
Citation

Statutory basis

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

Enforced by

Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at each workplace; Local Complaints Committee at district level

Citations are editorially curated. Always verify current applicability with qualified Indian counsel before acting on a specific matter.

§ 03
Why it matters

The stake

ICC constitution mandatory for all workplaces with 10 or more employees; annual report by 31 January

Filing window for POSH Act. Skipping or mishandling this compliance carries direct financial and operational consequences.

Why POSH Act matters for your GCC

POSH Act is a payroll and labour requirement for foreign-owned Indian entities and GCCs. Missing the icc constitution mandatory for all workplaces with 10 or more employees; annual report by 31 january obligation triggers up to inr 50,000 fine for non-constitution of icc; repeat offences trigger licence cancellation, and downstream filings or transactions may be blocked until rectification. Most foreign parents discover POSH Act issues only when a downstream transaction surfaces the prior gap, by which point rectification costs and operational delays have grown materially. Proactive handling avoids these cascading consequences.

§ 04
Pitfalls

The 4 ways POSH Act goes wrong

Real scenarios from real GCC compliance audits. Each one preventable.

01

Trap 01

Failing to register under POSH Act when the headcount or wage threshold is crossed

02

Trap 02

Computing contributions or benefits on incorrect wage components

03

Trap 03

Missing the monthly contribution deadline and triggering interest plus damages

04

Trap 04

Not updating registration upon change in establishment size, address, or workforce composition

§ 05
IRPR Network handles this

Done for you

Compliance Management

IRPR Network handles POSH Act as part of our Compliance Management service, with timely filings, supporting-document validation, citation tracking, and a zero-penalty compliance calendar.

Our workflow

  1. 01Identify the trigger event in your GCC operations
  2. 02Prepare and validate the POSH Act filing or compliance step
  3. 03Submit to the regulator and obtain acknowledgement
  4. 04Track in your compliance calendar for ongoing or recurring obligations
§ 07
Questions

Asked about POSH Act

5 specific questions that GCC operators ask most often, answered with citations to the relevant regulations.

Need help with POSH Act?

IRPR Network manages POSH Act as part of Compliance Management, with a zero-penalty guarantee.

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Q01

What is POSH Act and who does it apply to?

+

Statutory framework requiring all workplaces to prevent, prohibit, and redress sexual harassment of women at work. For foreign-owned GCCs, POSH Act applies to all establishments employing the prescribed threshold of employees. IRPR Network handles POSH Act as part of our Compliance Management service.

Q02

When is POSH Act due?

+

POSH Act is due icc constitution mandatory for all workplaces with 10 or more employees; annual report by 31 january. Late filing triggers up to inr 50,000 fine for non-constitution of icc; repeat offences trigger licence cancellation.

Q03

What law governs POSH Act?

+

POSH Act is governed by Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The compliance is enforced by Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at each workplace; Local Complaints Committee at district level.

Q04

What is the penalty for non-compliance with POSH Act?

+

Non-compliance attracts: Up to INR 50,000 fine for non-constitution of ICC; repeat offences trigger licence cancellation IRPR Network's compliance retainer is designed to prevent these exposures through proactive filing, citation tracking, and a defined compliance calendar.

Q05

Who handles POSH Act for foreign-owned GCCs in India?

+

IRPR Network handles POSH Act end-to-end as part of our Compliance Management service. Our team prepares filings, coordinates with regulators, validates supporting documents, and tracks all related deadlines on a defined compliance calendar.

Continue

Handle POSH Act the right way, the first time.

Book a 30-minute consultation. We will map your POSH Act obligations alongside every other India compliance for your GCC, on one calendar, one retainer.

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