Local Complaints Committee Under The Posh Act

 

Local Complaints Committee Under The Posh Act



We know that the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, commonly called the POSH Act, mandates every organization that has ten or more employees to formulate an Internal Committee (IC) to receive and redress complaints of sexual harassment against women at workplace.

Does it mean that only employees of organizations that has at least ten employees receive the protection of the POSH Act?

Should women working in the unorganized sector file a complaint with the police if they face sexual harassment at work?

This is where the Local Complaints Committee comes into picture.

The POSH Act is very comprehensive and has ensured that every women employee is covered. The Local Complaints Committee is formed to ensure protection against sexual harassment for women employees working in organizations that have less than 10 employees.

Local Complaints Committee (LCC) is a body formulated according to the Section 6 of the POSH Act. The section states that the District Officer must form the Local Complaints Committee for the respective district. LCC will receive and redress complaints of sexual harassment from:

1.     Employees of organizations that do not have an Internal Committee because it has less than ten employees.

2.     Women working in unorganized sector like housekeeping staff and

3.     Employees from organization with more than ten employees if the complaint is against the employer him/herself.

The jurisdiction of LCC extends to the areas of the district where it is constituted.

The District Officer will appoint a nodal officer in every block, taluka and tehsil in rural or tribal area and ward or municipality in the urban area. If a woman working in unorganized sector or in an organization that has less than 10 employees faces sexual harassment, she can send six copies of the complaint along with evidence and details of witness to the nodal officer. The nodal officer must forward the complaint to the LCC within seven days.

Upon receipt of the complaint, the LCC will send one copy of the complaint to the respondent, against whom the complaint is filed. The respondent must send his/her reply with the evidence and details of witness he would like to present within ten days from the day he received the complaint.

In the absence of a Local Complaints Committee, any woman who has faced sexual harassment can file a complaint with the police.

To locate the LCC of your district, either contact the District Officer or refer to notification made by your district administration.

 

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