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Expanding POSH: The Push to Protect India's Informal Workforce.

The Prevention of Sexual Harassment ( POSH ) Act of 2013 marked a significant milestone in India's journey towards safer workplaces. However, a glaring gap remains in its coverage: the informal sector. With an estimated 90% of India's workforce employed in informal settings, the need to extend POSH protections to this vast and vulnerable population has become a pressing concern. The Current Landscape The Informal Sector in India India's informal sector encompasses a wide range of occupations, including: • Domestic workers • Street vendors • Agricultural laborers • Construction workers • Home-based workers These workers often lack formal contracts, social security benefits, and legal protections, making them particularly vulnerable to exploitation and harassment. Limitations of the Current POSH Act The POSH Act, in its current form, is primarily designed for formal workplaces. It mandates the formation of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) in organizations with

Steps that HR Department Must take To Prevent Sexual Harassment At Work.

A large portion of the workplace in India is plagued by the problem of sexual harassment. In order to prevent it, businesses should take precautions, and they should also be prepared to address it if it does. The HR department is in charge of making sure compliance. To make the workplace safe for employees, they can implement Posh rules and take the ten steps listed below. HR should make sure that the business has several reporting options, including anonymous reporting, for sexual harassment. They must also ensure that the staff is aware of these options, whatever they may be. A human resources professional must understand that harassment can affect anyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or other identifiers. Many LGBTQ employees are especially susceptible to harassment, whether it be sexual or otherwise. Sexual harassment can happen to anyone, even straight males in powerful positions inside the organisation. Every report should be taken seriously, and every investigation

Retaliation And Sexual Harassment at Workplace?

71% of women fail to report incidences of sexual harassment at work , according to a 2015 survey. Only 68.9% of Indian women who experience sexual harassment report their experiences to the Internal Committee (IC) or management, according to a 2017 survey by the Indian National Bar Association (INBA). Retaliation is a tactic used to ridicule, humiliate, and spread rumours about the sexual harassment victim. When an employee reports sexual harassment in the workplace, the company may take action against them. Retaliation is any negative employment action that involves " exerting power ." Demotion, wage reduction, job transfer, and termination are a few examples. For fear of retaliation, many women choose not to report sexual harassment at work. The victim may be the target of reprisals from the accused or the organisation. In fact, studies has shown that businesses frequently devalue sexual harassment. As a result, the victim faces hostility and reprisals. The organization'

Status of Local Committee formation under POSH.

According to Section 6(1) of the Act, "Every District Officer shall constitute in the district concerned a committee to be known as the "Local Complaints Committee" to receive sexual harassment complaints from establishments where the Internal Committee has not been formed because it has fewer than ten employees or if the complaint is against the employer himself." The Local Complaints Committee was changed to become the Local Committee in May 2016, broadening its mandate from merely handling complaints to one that requires it to act proactively to combat sexual harassment. According to a report by the Martha Farrell Foundation, POSH policies are not generally being followed to its fullest extent (2018). In accordance with this research, 655 districts had 56 percent of requests for data sets from operating Local Committees ignored. Only 29% of districts claimed to have created LCs, and 15% of those districts still hadn't done so. 43% of respondents from the uno

Tips to create trans-inclusive workplace.

More than 27000 transgender people participated in a poll in 2015, and the results showed that at least 77% of them actively avoided workplace discrimination . This includes keeping their gender identities a secret, declining to request the use of their preferred pronouns by their employers and coworkers, and postponing gender transition. Transgender individuals might not be fully present at work. Because they are more likely than cisgender employees to have an uneven working environment, they could feel uneasy or alienated. Companies should begin implementing nondiscriminatory rules and procedures that are gender-specific. This entails regardless of their gender identities, defending and advancing the rights of every employee Increasing employee awareness of and acceptance of their transgender coworkers. To some extent, everyone needs to feel like they belong. It's common for us to evaluate our relationships subconsciously. We experience poor levels of self-esteem and unfavorable

Posh in Higher Education Institutions in India

On July 25, 2022, an Odisha college student accused the school's physics instructor of rape and sexual harassment. The accused lecturer, who was the institution's reader, had also held the role of NCC officer in the Naval wing. Despite the female student coming to the institute with a formal complaint, the school's internal committee did not discover any proof of the claims she claimed. The probe didn't start until the Higher Education Department became aware of the situation. A Presidency University student from Kolkata filed a formal complaint with the internal committee of the university accusing Mahitosh Mandal, the former head of the department, of sexual harassment on July 17, 2022. It is believed that the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, is essential for protecting female employees from sexual harassment at the workplace. It is significant to highlight that educational institutions play a significant role

Elevating Professional Standards: The Importance of Posh Law Training for Employees.

In today's workplace, fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment is paramount. The Prevention of Sexual Harassment (Posh) at Workplace Act, enacted in India in 2013, is a significant legislative step towards ensuring such an environment. It mandates organizations to take proactive measures in preventing, prohibiting, and redressing sexual harassment at the workplace. One of the most effective ways to comply with this legislation and cultivate a positive workplace culture is through comprehensive Posh law training for employees. Why Posh Law Training is Essential Legal Compliance The Posh Act requires every organization with ten or more employees to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and conduct regular training sessions. Failure to comply can result in hefty penalties, damage to the organization's reputation, and a loss of trust among employees. Awareness and Sensitivity Training helps employees understand what constitutes sexual harassment, the imp