Workplace harassment notes in India: when SHe-Box fits

If something at work is troubling you in India, start with short, dated notes: what happened, when and where, who was there, and what you did next. You do not need to decide the legal label first. Then check the route. SHe-Box, the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s portal, and the Internal Committee process under the POSH Act are for complaints by women about sexual harassment at the workplace. Problems such as unpaid wages or bullying that is not sexual need a different route.

Start with dated notes

• When: the date and approximate time. Mark estimates.
• Where: the cabin, meeting room, office cab, video call or WhatsApp chat.
• What was said or done: quote exact words only when you remember them; otherwise, label it a paraphrase.
• Who was there: anyone who saw or heard it directly.
• What you did next: your reply, anyone you told, and any response.

Keep the date you wrote the note separate from the date of the event. If you remember more later, add a dated note instead of rewriting the first one. The free incident log template uses the same prompts.

What SHe-Box covers

The Ministry launched the current SHe-Box portal on 29 August 2024 to implement the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013, known as the POSH Act. It holds details of Internal Committees added by registered workplaces and of district Local Committees, and it is also available inside the Mission Shakti app. The Act’s complaint route is for a woman who alleges sexual harassment at a workplace, whether or not she is employed there. The Act lists unwelcome conduct such as physical contact and advances, requests for sexual favours, sexually coloured remarks and showing pornography. A workplace includes places you visit for work, including transport the employer provides.

SHe-Box is not a general portal for every workplace disagreement or every kind of bullying. For pay, termination or other employment problems, look at your employer’s grievance process or the labour authorities instead.

A fictional preparation note

Invented example, not a real person or workplace: “Tuesday 8 September 2026, about 9:30 pm, WhatsApp. After the team call, my reporting manager sent three messages about how I looked on camera. I replied at 9:41 pm asking to keep messages to work. I told a colleague the next morning. I want to ask which process applies and who will see what I share.” It records events and a question without reaching a legal conclusion.

Check the time limit and share carefully

Under section 9 of the POSH Act, a written complaint is to be made within three months of the incident, or of the last incident in a series. The committee can extend this by up to three months, recording its reasons in writing, if circumstances prevented you from filing.

1. Today: write down the latest incident while you remember it, and save the related messages, including your own replies.
2. This week: add earlier incidents as separate dated entries, and look for the notice at work that names your Internal Committee.
3. Well before three months from the last incident: decide whether to make a written complaint to the committee, directly or through SHe-Box. The committee must help you put it in writing if you need it.

Share only what the process needs. Do not access someone else’s account, remove unrelated company records or post details online. If you are thinking about recording a conversation, check the rules that apply and consider telling the other person first.

If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services first. Kirokune keeps your notes, photos and exported chats in time order on your iPhone, one case per situation, and can export a PDF (a Kirokune Plus feature) when you decide to share. It does not diagnose, decide what happened, or give legal advice, and it does not file anything for you.

Frequently asked questions

Can I file a complaint on SHe-Box for workplace bullying?

SHe-Box is for complaints of sexual harassment of women at the workplace under the POSH Act. For bullying that is not sexual in nature, or for pay and termination problems, check your employer’s policy and the labour authorities.

What is the time limit for a POSH complaint?

Section 9 of the POSH Act says a written complaint is to be made within three months of the incident, or of the last incident in a series. The committee can extend this by up to three months, recording its reasons in writing, if circumstances prevented you from filing in time.

Will Kirokune submit a complaint for me?

No. Kirokune organises your notes on your iPhone. Filing on SHe-Box or with a committee is a separate step you take yourself.

Kirokune helps you keep a record. It does not diagnose, decide what happened, or give legal advice.