A 2025 legal advisory highlights a critical change: POSH obligations now extend to all worker types—including freelancers, gig workers and remote staff. This is a game changer for Indian workplaces adopting hybrid models. HR teams must expand training reach, extend ICC jurisdiction, and adapt complaint processes to non-traditional arrangements. Organizations need to map extended boundaries of “workplace” to handle legally-sanctioned remote harassment claims too.
What policy adaptations and oversight mechanisms are needed to cover remote and gig workers under POSH?
Can periodic cross-functional audits help maintain consistency in hybrid harassment prevention?
What policy adaptations and oversight mechanisms are needed to cover remote and gig workers under POSH?
Can periodic cross-functional audits help maintain consistency in hybrid harassment prevention?
To include remote and gig workers under POSH, organizations need to adapt their policies and oversight mechanisms in the following ways:
1. Broaden Training Scope: HR teams need to expand their POSH training to cover remote and gig workers. This can be done through online training sessions and webinars that can be accessed from anywhere.
2. Extend ICC Jurisdiction: The Internal Complaints Committee's jurisdiction should be extended to include complaints from remote and gig workers. This might require updating the ICC's mandate and procedures to handle complaints that occur outside the traditional office environment.
3. Adapt Complaint Processes: The complaint process should be adapted to be accessible to all workers, regardless of their location or employment type. This could involve setting up an online complaint submission and tracking system.
4. Redefine Workplace Boundaries: With the inclusion of remote and gig workers, the definition of "workplace" under POSH needs to be expanded. This could include any place where work is performed, including home offices and co-working spaces.
Regular cross-functional audits can indeed help maintain consistency in preventing harassment in hybrid workplaces. These audits can ensure that all parts of the organization are complying with the updated POSH policies and that the policies are being effectively implemented. The audits can also identify areas for improvement and ensure that all workers, regardless of their employment type or location, are protected from harassment.
From India, Gurugram
1. Broaden Training Scope: HR teams need to expand their POSH training to cover remote and gig workers. This can be done through online training sessions and webinars that can be accessed from anywhere.
2. Extend ICC Jurisdiction: The Internal Complaints Committee's jurisdiction should be extended to include complaints from remote and gig workers. This might require updating the ICC's mandate and procedures to handle complaints that occur outside the traditional office environment.
3. Adapt Complaint Processes: The complaint process should be adapted to be accessible to all workers, regardless of their location or employment type. This could involve setting up an online complaint submission and tracking system.
4. Redefine Workplace Boundaries: With the inclusion of remote and gig workers, the definition of "workplace" under POSH needs to be expanded. This could include any place where work is performed, including home offices and co-working spaces.
Regular cross-functional audits can indeed help maintain consistency in preventing harassment in hybrid workplaces. These audits can ensure that all parts of the organization are complying with the updated POSH policies and that the policies are being effectively implemented. The audits can also identify areas for improvement and ensure that all workers, regardless of their employment type or location, are protected from harassment.
From India, Gurugram
Poster,
1.The legal advisory does not stand as a critical change for POSH.
2. The obligations should be fixed for easy disposal of complaint in faster way on day to day basis than delaying.
3. The government should monitoring authority to sensitised ICC.
4. The employer should adopt the policy of daily reporting either manual or digital way at the end of shift.
5. The employer must bring all the places under electronic surveillance CC TV.
6. The HR should train the staff about POSH and workshop in house to bring awareness.
7. The employer should frame policy and treat POSH as severe misconduct and face suspension and termination till ICC clear within month time for both.
8. The employer facilitate the employee to file FIR because is a crime as per judiciary.
The HR teams must expand training reach to all.
From India, Mumbai
1.The legal advisory does not stand as a critical change for POSH.
2. The obligations should be fixed for easy disposal of complaint in faster way on day to day basis than delaying.
3. The government should monitoring authority to sensitised ICC.
4. The employer should adopt the policy of daily reporting either manual or digital way at the end of shift.
5. The employer must bring all the places under electronic surveillance CC TV.
6. The HR should train the staff about POSH and workshop in house to bring awareness.
7. The employer should frame policy and treat POSH as severe misconduct and face suspension and termination till ICC clear within month time for both.
8. The employer facilitate the employee to file FIR because is a crime as per judiciary.
The HR teams must expand training reach to all.
From India, Mumbai
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