Are you putting any efforts to prevent sexual harassment at workplace (prevention prohibition redressal) act, 2013 (“POSH act”)?
It is customary practice in many industries to accept trainees in various trades and occupation as Apprentices. An Apprentice is considered as a person who is bound by legal agreement to serve an employer for an agreed period and in return for that an employer is bound to instruct him in the trade or occupation. Many a time, such apprentice are subsequently absorbed by industries as regular workers after successfully completion of their apprenticeship.
CHALLENGES FACED BY THE EMPLOYER TO BECOME POSH COMPLIANT
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COSTLY COMPLIANCE
Many employers feel that the POSH compliance is a costly affair. It incurs cost at every level from framing of anti-sexual harassment policy to training the employees and appointing an external member in the Internal Committee (“IC”) for conducting inquires. -
TARNISHING THE REPUTATION
Many employers are of the belief that if the company is made POSH compliant, it may lead to their reputation being tarnished when a sexual harassment complaint is filed, inquired or addressed. -
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
Most of the employer who even wish to provide a safe environment to their employees; do not know the law or ways to comply with it. -
CUMBERSOME TRAINING
Training the employees and making them conversant with the POSH laws is mandatory. It becomes difficult when there are various branches and regional offices at different locations, language barrier also, at times, becomes a reason for avoiding this compliance. There are new joinees every now and then in that case, for company it very tough to tap who has trained and who is left.
SHOULD THE ORGANIZATION BE PROACTIVE TO IMPLEMENT POSH?
It is important for organization to be proactive and go beyond the mere scope of compliance, enabling POSH to be a true success. In order to create healthier environment, it is highly pertinent that the compliance be innovatively implemented with the true sprits of POSH Act.
STEPS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF POSH EFFECTIVELY AT YOUR ORGANIZATION
- Creating and implementing Anti-Sexual Harassment policy
- Constitution an Internal Committee and give them the necessary training to function effectively
- Conduct training session for all employees
- Poster and notices display at company premises
- Filling annual compliance before appropriate authority
HOW AVK LAW ASSOCIATES CAN HELP YOU?
In order to tackle the issues being faced by the organization for their workplaces, AVK Law Associates has come up with quick, easy and affordable POSH compliance consultancy and advisory services. We are providing end to end POSH consultancy on yearly basis. We designed different training module for blue coller and white coller employees. Our IC capacity building training module will help the IC members to understand the POSH in real meaning. All our training modules are designed by legal experts.
