The National Commission for Women has issued a nationwide advisory to all States and Union Territories, calling for stricter implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
The advisory recommends mandatory annual POSH audits for establishments employing 10 or more persons. These audits are expected to review constitution and functioning of Internal Committees, complaint handling, confidentiality safeguards, awareness programmes, statutory disclosures and use of the SHe-Box portal.
The Commission has also advised States and UTs to establish monitoring mechanisms, strengthen Local Committees, appoint district-level nodal authorities and ensure wider awareness regarding workplace safety and grievance redressal.
Employers should treat this advisory as an important compliance alert and review their POSH framework, including Internal Committee constitution, training records, annual reports, complaint registers and workplace safety measures.
Compliance Takeaway:
Organisations should immediately conduct an internal POSH compliance check and keep all statutory records ready for audit or inspection.
Disclaimer:
This article is for general awareness only and should not be treated as legal advice.