POSH Training in India — What Must Be Covered and How to Conduct It

Yes. POSH training is mandatory under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013. Employers must organise workshops and awareness programmes at regular intervals for sensitising employees about the provisions of the Act. ICC members must also receive specific training on complaint handling, inquiry procedures, and trauma-informed approaches.

POSH awareness training must cover the definition of sexual harassment under the Act, examples of behaviours that constitute sexual harassment, the complaint mechanism and ICC process, rights and responsibilities of employees, confidentiality obligations, and the consequences of sexual harassment. ICC member training must additionally cover the inquiry process, evidence handling, and report writing.

The POSH Act requires training at regular intervals but does not specify a minimum frequency. Best practice followed by most compliant organisations is annual awareness training for all employees, training for new joiners during onboarding, and refresher training for ICC members when new members join or every two years.

Yes. Online POSH training through eLearning modules is legally valid and widely accepted. eLearning modules must cover all required content and include an assessment to verify comprehension. Completion records from the LMS serve as documented evidence of training for compliance audits and legal proceedings. Online training also enables consistent delivery across multiple locations.

POSH training can be conducted by external POSH consultants, HR professionals with POSH expertise, legal experts, or certified POSH trainers. ICC member training specifically benefits from external facilitators who bring objectivity and practical experience of POSH inquiries. Many organisations combine external facilitation for ICC training with eLearning modules for broad employee awareness.