The right place to report a workplace problem in India depends on what happened. For workplace sexual harassment covered by the POSH framework, approach the workplace Internal Committee (IC), the district Local Committee (LC) where applicable, or submit a complaint through SHe-Box. For eligible wage, overtime, maternity-benefit, termination and other listed employment grievances, check the Ministry of Labour and Employment’s SAMADHAN portal. “Unreasonable work pressure” alone does not identify a specific legal claim or a single complaint channel.
Choose a route based on the conduct
| Problem | Possible route | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Workplace sexual harassment of a woman covered by POSH | The workplace IC, the district LC where applicable, or the SHe-Box online complaint route | POSH’s stated filing period is three months from the incident, or three months from the last incident in a series. SHe-Box is an intake and routing channel, not the committee that decides the complaint. |
| Delayed or unpaid wages, unauthorised deductions, overtime, maternity benefits, termination or another listed employment grievance | The Ministry of Labour and Employment’s SAMADHAN portal | Check the grievance category, applicable law and claimant eligibility. The portal excludes EPFO and ESIC matters; use the relevant agency’s channel for those. |
| A complaint about a public authority or public-service delivery | CPGRAMS may be relevant | It is not a general complaint route against private employers. Government employees’ service matters are excluded unless prescribed channels have first been exhausted. |
| Heavy workload or pressure, without a clearer legal category | Start with the employer’s written grievance or escalation policy, a worker representative, or a union where appropriate; check SAMADHAN only if the facts fit a listed category | Pressure by itself is not established in the official portal material as a standalone statutory claim. Identify the specific conduct and its consequences before choosing a legal route. |
How to report sexual harassment under POSH
Find the committee responsible
Contact the workplace Internal Committee if one has been constituted. If there is no applicable IC, the district Local Committee may be the relevant committee. SHe-Box offers an online route: the Government of India’s Press Information Bureau said the portal forwards a submitted complaint to the relevant IC or LC based on the details provided. That routing does not guarantee a particular investigation or outcome. For committee contacts tied to your location, consult the current SHe-Box directory or the relevant district or state authority; a national overview cannot identify the right local office for every reader.
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Note the filing period and ask for help if needed
The government committee guidance states that a written complaint should be made within three months of the incident, or within three months of the last incident where the conduct occurred as a series. If you cannot put the complaint in writing, the guidance says committee members should provide reasonable assistance. Contact the committee promptly if you are unsure how to describe what happened or whether the period applies to your circumstances.
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Write down dates, locations, the people involved, the words or actions you remember, any witnesses and what outcome you are seeking. Keep relevant messages or documents securely where it is safe to do so. These are practical ways to organise your account, not a requirement to use a particular notebook, app, recording or evidence format. The government POSH handbook describes confidentiality and a time-bound process as expectations of POSH redress; avoid publicly posting sensitive allegations or sharing them on a work-controlled device if that creates a risk.
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When SAMADHAN may fit an employment grievance
The Ministry of Labour and Employment describes SAMADHAN as “a single online platform for raising their grievances like illegal termination, delay payments, unauthorized deduction, non-payment of maternity benefits, minimum wage, overtime allowance”. The portal’s FAQ associates different complaint types with different laws and claimant eligibility, so do not assume that every employee, contractor or work-related dispute qualifies under the same category.
Before filing, identify the concrete issue—for example, a missed wage payment or unpaid overtime—and review the category and eligibility information on SAMADHAN. The ministry says that filing directly as a worker or through UMANG is free. For EPFO- or ESIC-related matters, the FAQ directs users to the respective agencies rather than SAMADHAN.
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What to do about unreasonable work pressure
“Unreasonable work pressure” can describe very different situations: a demanding workload, threats, discriminatory treatment, unpaid extra hours, or conduct that may fall under POSH. The label alone does not determine which law or authority applies. Record what is happening in concrete terms, including hours, instructions, communications and effects on pay or working conditions, then compare those facts with the employer’s grievance policy and the official categories for SAMADHAN or POSH.
If pressure includes workplace sexual harassment, consider the POSH route rather than treating it only as a workload complaint. If it involves unpaid overtime, delayed wages or another listed employment issue, check SAMADHAN’s category and eligibility rules. If no listed route appears to fit, seek guidance through an internal grievance process, worker representative or union where appropriate; the appropriate legal remedy may depend on the facts, location and employment arrangement.
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When CPGRAMS is—and is not—the right channel
CPGRAMS handles grievances about public authorities and public-service delivery. It should not be presented as a universal way to complain about a private company. For government employees’ service matters, the stated exclusion applies unless prescribed departmental channels have been exhausted. Review those channels before filing such a grievance.
Quick Recap
A practical checklist before submitting a complaint
- Describe the conduct precisely. Separate sexual harassment, a wage or overtime claim, a public-service grievance and a general workload dispute.
- Collect the key details. Note when and where events occurred, who was involved, what was said or done, who may have witnessed it, and what remedy you are asking for. Keep copies securely if safe.
- Check eligibility and timing. For POSH, the cited filing period is three months from the incident or the last incident in a series. For SAMADHAN, confirm the relevant category and claimant rules.
- Use the channel that matches the issue. Contact the relevant IC or LC or use SHe-Box for a POSH complaint; use SAMADHAN for an eligible listed employment grievance; use CPGRAMS for an appropriate public-authority grievance.
- Prioritise immediate safety. If there is an immediate threat or risk of violence, focus on getting to safety and contacting local emergency support.
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