Certificate course in Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH)

The certificate course explains how preventing sexual harassment protects women's rights and creates a safe, inclusive workplace, covering prevention, provision, and redressal of complaints under POSH.

Trace the history of workplace sexual harassment in India from the 1992 gang rape case to the Vishakha judgement and guidelines, leading to the POSH act and mandated grievance mechanisms.

Explore the POSH act's applicability across India and its scope, protecting women of all ages in both organized and unorganized sectors, including extended workplaces.

Defines sexual harassment as direct or implied sexual conduct, verbal or non-verbal, including unwelcome advances, remarks, or contact; consensual relationships are harassment-free if welcomed, but continue after objection becomes harassment.

Identify the two types of sexual harassment—quid pro quo and hostile environment—and illustrate them with examples of exchange for benefits and offensive conduct that interferes with work.

Explore real scenarios illustrating hostile environment sexual harassment, professional boundaries, and safe reporting. Learn how inappropriate advances, obscene material, and stalking violate workplace conduct and how to respond.

The POSH act creates internal committees at offices with ten or more employees; local committees report. Presiding officer must be a senior woman; half IC members female; external NGO member.

Learn about the powers of ic and lc, a quasi judicial body with court-like powers to summon, examine on oath, and order documents or cctv footage.

Learn how the posh complaint mechanism operates with complainant and respondent, timelines from three months to ninety days, natural justice, conciliation, interim relief, and compensation.

Outline employer duties under POSH to ensure a safe workplace, display key areas, establish an internal committee, conduct awareness programs, publish a POSH policy, and support complaint processing.

Impose a 50,000 rupee fine on employers for failing to form an internal committee or breaching the act's provisions, with double punishment for repeat offences and license or registration penalties.

Understand the respondent's rights in posh proceedings, including innocence until proven guilty, a patient unbiased hearing, confidentiality of identity, and the right to appeal with statements, evidence, and witnesses.

Learn how verbal harassment and extended workplace concepts under posh apply to company events, with internal and local committees, three-month filing windows, written complaints, and conciliation without monetary settlements.