Avatars at Work: Extending POSH into the Metaverse

Work is no longer confined to offices, and neither is harassment. As organisations begin to operate in immersive virtual environments, the meaning of a workplace under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 requires careful rethinking. This article examines whether the POSH Act can meaningfully respond to misconduct that occurs in metaverse based workspaces, where interactions take place through avatars, digital communication, and simulated presence. It argues that the law, as currently framed, is conceptually broad enough to include such environments, particularly in light of judicial interpretations that recognise online spaces as extensions of the workplace. However, its practical application remains uncertain. The article identifies key challenges that arise in virtual settings, including anonymity, blurred jurisdiction, difficulties in collecting and interpreting digital evidence, and the limited accountability of platform providers. These concerns reveal a gap between the legal promise of protection and its actual enforcement. By drawing on developments in the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United States, the article shows a growing recognition that virtual workplaces must be treated on par with physical ones. It then proposes a more adaptive understanding of the workplace under the POSH Act, alongside institutional and procedural reforms that can better address digital forms of harassment. In doing so, the article situates the future of workplace safety within the realities of an increasingly virtual world.