FIO Foundation · Kerala

POSH Act Compliance for Infopark, Kochi

Every company at Infopark has POSH obligations. Most are not fully meeting them.

Infopark, Kochi is a Government of Kerala-owned IT ecosystem housing hundreds of companies across its Kakkanad, Cherthala (Alappuzha), and Koratty (Thrissur) campuses. Infopark companies — from seed-stage startups to large MNCs — employ thousands of professionals across every level. Under the POSH Act, 2013, every one of these companies with 10 or more employees must comply. No exemption for IT companies. No exemption for startups. No exemption for companies registered elsewhere but operating from Infopark.

FIO Foundation works directly with Infopark companies to make POSH compliance practical, properly documented, and genuinely effective.

What Infopark Companies Typically Get Wrong

After working with many IT companies across Kochi, the gaps FIO Foundation most commonly finds are:

IC Without Training

The IC exists on paper — appointment orders issued, names listed — but no IC member has ever received structured training on complaint-handling procedure or natural justice requirements. This is a high-risk gap because an untrained IC is a procedurally vulnerable IC.

External Member Gap

The external member slot is either empty, filled with a vendor or consultant connected to the company (which undermines independence), or occupied by someone whose 3-year term expired without reconstitution. FIO Foundation regularly provides qualified, eligible external IC members for Infopark companies.

Annual Reports Not Filed

Many IT companies, particularly smaller ones, do not file the Annual Report with the District Officer, Ernakulam. This is a direct violation of Section 21 of the POSH Act, attracting a fine of up to ₹50,000 per offence under Section 26. As enforcement scrutiny increases, this gap is becoming more expensive to have.

Remote Work Not Addressed

Post-2020, many Infopark companies operate in hybrid or fully remote mode. The POSH Act applies to remote work environments — including digital workplace harassment. The IC's jurisdiction extends to virtual workplaces. Most companies have not updated their POSH policy or IC procedures to address this.

A Note for Startups at Infopark

If you are a startup at Infopark with between 10 and 30 employees, you may feel that POSH compliance is something for larger companies. It is not. The threshold is 10 employees — and a penalty of up to ₹50,000, combined with potential licence cancellation on repeat offence, is disproportionately damaging for a small company. Early compliance is far less costly than emergency compliance after a complaint arrives.

FIO Foundation offers startup-friendly POSH packages that cover IC formation, a combined IC and employee training session, and a policy document — in a single engagement.

Serving All Infopark Campuses

We deliver POSH services across Infopark Kakkanad, Infopark Cherthala (Alappuzha) and Infopark Koratty (Thrissur).

Related POSH Services in Kerala

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my Infopark startup really need an IC?+

If you have 10 or more employees, yes — without exception. Below 10, you fall under the Local Committee's jurisdiction but still have employer-side duties.

Can FIO Foundation serve as our external IC member?+

Yes. We provide qualified, eligible external IC members for Infopark companies — including Kakkanad, Cherthala and Koratty campuses.

How do we handle POSH for fully remote employees?+

The Act extends to virtual workplaces. Your POSH policy and IC procedures should be updated to cover digital workplace harassment and remote-work jurisdiction. We help with both.

What does the Annual Report involve?+

It is filed with the District Officer, Ernakulam, and must include complaints received, disposed, pending over 90 days, workshops conducted and action taken. Filing is mandatory even with zero complaints.

Is online training sufficient for an Infopark IT company?+

Live interactive online training satisfies the Act's training requirement. Pre-recorded click-through e-learning is increasingly insufficient on its own.

Book POSH Compliance for Your Infopark Company

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