Dear All
AS Mr mrnsarma has pointed out, please let there be no confusion in holidays and leave (such as casual leave, erned or privilege leave, sick leave, maternity leave etc.
For formulating new leave rules for one's company, I would suggest that one studies P. Muthuswamy's (popularly known as Swamy's Publications) on Government of India leave rules which are most ideal leave rules and framed after due considerations on many aspects. The companies may make necessary changes suitable to their needs and give their own number of leave per year to their employees but let the base be GOI leave rules, I personally feel. The GOI has also now started paternity leave of 15 days. To bust the morale of their employees, I suggest private sector may also follow the suit and start paternity leave for first two children. Let this be an additional or alternative perk.
Except statutory holidays (such as Maharashtra Day on 1st May in Maharashtra state, 15th August and 26th January etc.), an employer may differ his holidays with those of the concerned state. There is absolutely no problem with it except in the case of statutory holidays. However, in such cases, the employer loses access to banks on public holidays on those days in particular states. I suggest that HR willing to formulate standard holidays on all India basis may prescribe following days compulsory for all offices in all states and leave the remaining holidays to be selected by their branch offices in the states and communicate the holiday lists to other branches. Thus there will be uniform holidays on maximum days.
Dussera (Vijaya Dashami) (two days Navami and Dashami for Durga Pooja)
Diwali (two days Lakshmi Puja and Padwa)
26th January
Mahashivaratri
Holi
Gudi Padawa/ Ugadi/Cheti Chand
Ram Navami
Narali Poornima or Rakhi Poornima
Janmashtami
For employees belonging to minority, optional holidays may be offered instead of keeping the entire establishment closed on their important festivals. In central government offices, such holidays are called restricted holidays. The GOI employees are entitled to get 2 restricted holidays (RH) in a calendar year over and above 16 compulsory holidays. Each employer may deside the number of holidays in a calendar year and arrive at those dates from the festivals of the states. Branch offices in Maharashtra will prefer holidays on Ganesh Chaturthi and Anant Chaturdashi days. Branch offices in Gujarat will prefer holiday on Uttarayan (Makar Sankrant / Pongal day mostly falling on 14th January).
Shyam Agrawal