Weekly Off aur National Holiday Rights 2026: Shops Act, Factories Act — Employee Ka Poora Haq Guide

Company ne Sunday ko kaam bulaya — aur compensatory off nahi diya? National holiday pe bhi kaam karna pada? Yeh situations bahut common hain private sector mein — aur bahut employees nahi jaante ki unka legal right kya hai.

India mein weekly off aur national holidays ke rules alag-alag laws se govern hote hain — Factories Act 1948 (manufacturing), Shops and Establishments Act (offices/retail — state-wise), aur Negotiable Instruments Act (national holidays). Central govt employees ke liye alag rules hain.

Factories Act — Weekly Off Rules

Factories Act 1948, Section 52:

• Har factory worker ko ek din weekly off milna chahiye — usually Sunday but factory notice pe specify hona chahiye
• Weekly off ke 3 din pehle ya baad mein shift nahi ho sakti — original day hi honi chahiye (with advance notice exception)
• Compensatory holiday: Agar weekly off pe kaam karvaya, toh 3 din ke andar substituted holiday deni hogi
• Factory mein 48 hours/week limit — agar overtime hua toh OT wages bhi milenge

Shops and Establishments Act — State-Wise

Office, retail, IT companies — inpar state ka Shops Act apply hota hai. Har state ka alag act hai:

• Delhi Shops Act: 1 weekly off — day employer fix karta hai. National holidays pe closed mandatory.
• Karnataka Shops Act: 1 weekly off + compensatory off agar holiday mein kaam
• Maharashtra Shops Act: Weekly off + closed on national holidays + double wages if worked on closed day
• Tamil Nadu Shops Act: 1 day off per week, national holidays paid leave
• UP Shops Act: Similar provisions — 1 weekly off mandatory

National Holidays — 3 Mandatory Under NI Act

Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 ke under 3 national holidays mandatory hain all establishments ke liye:

• Republic Day — 26 January
• Independence Day — 15 August
• Gandhi Jayanti — 2 October

These are public holidays — banks, offices, schools sab band. Agar employer work karwata hai, toh compensation mandatory hai (double wages ya compensatory off — state rule ke according).

Restricted Holidays vs Public Holidays

Central govt employees ke liye two types:

• Gazetted Holidays (14-16): Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas etc. — mandatory paid leave
• Restricted Holidays (2 per year): Employee apni choice se lete hain prescribed list se

Private companies mandatorily follow sirf 3 NI Act holidays. Baaki festivals — company policy ya state Shops Act ke according. Aapki company holiday list HR se confirm karein.

Holiday Pe Kaam Karvaya — Kya Milna Chahiye?

• National Holiday (3): Double wages (regular + equal extra) ya compensatory off — zyada beneficial option employee choose kar sakta hai (state law varies)
• Factories Act weekly off pe kaam: Compensatory off 3 din mein mandatory — agar nahi mili toh labour inspector complaint
• Overtime (beyond 48 hrs/week): Double rate (Factories Act Section 59)

Rights Enforce Kaise Karein?

1. HR department ko written email dein — compensatory off ya extra wages demand karein
2. Labour Inspector ke paas Factories Act ya Shops Act ke under complaint
3. Shram Suvidha portal (shramsuvidha.gov.in) — online complaint
4. Labour Court — agar employer nahi maanta