In India, a compensatory holiday is provided when an employee works on a scheduled holiday or weekly off day. Here's a breakdown to clarify the concept:
- Compensatory holiday for working on a Sunday: If an employee normally has Sundays off but is required to work on a particular Sunday due to work demands, they are entitled to take another day off during the week, except Sunday, to compensate for the work done on that Sunday.
- Compensatory holiday for public holidays: When a public holiday such as 2nd October (Gandhi Jayanti), Diwali, or Holi falls on a day that is usually a working day for the employee, the company may choose to give a compensatory off on an alternative day, usually a weekday, to ensure the employee receives adequate rest and benefits from the holiday.
- Example Scenario: An employee works on Diwali, which falls on a weekday, and the company policy states that employees working on public holidays are entitled to a compensatory holiday. In this case, the employee would be granted a day off on a weekday following Diwali to compensate for working on the public holiday.
- Compensatory Holiday Register: The compensatory holiday register is used to track and manage compensatory holidays granted to employees. It typically includes details such as the date worked, the reason for the compensatory holiday, the date of the compensatory day off granted, and employee signatures for acknowledgment.
By following labor laws and company policies accurately, compensatory holidays ensure that employees are adequately compensated for working on holidays or scheduled off days, promoting work-life balance and fair treatment in the workplace.