Understanding Mandatory Employee Holidays in Mumbai: What Are the Minimum Requirements?

Can anyone tell me the minimum holidays and types of holidays that are mandatory to be given to employees? My clients are in Mumbai. Can you also guide me with the right Act for reference?

Regards,
Smidas

Refer to the Maharashtra Shops Act

National holidays (Gandhi Jayanti, Independence Day, Republic Day, May Day) & Festival Holidays (5 holidays as per your company's policy) total 9 days. Under the Shops Act, employees are entitled to 12 SL, 12 CL, and 12 PL annually.

As per the Bombay Shops and Establishments Act, there are four national holidays, namely 26th January (Republic Day), 15th August (Independence Day), 1st May (May Day - Maharashtra Day), and 2nd October (Gandhi Jayanti). Apart from this, the Government of Maharashtra declares at the beginning of the year a list of holidays (including the above) under the Negotiable Instruments Act. To my knowledge, there is no other statute providing for additional holidays such as festival holidays, similar to the Festival and National Holidays Act in force in some other states like Karnataka or Delhi.

Regards,
B. Saikumar
Mumbai

Can we offer our employees the option to take an additional holiday on either 1st May or 2nd October? Our company is an IT firm, and I am considering different possibilities as a significant number of our employees work on 2nd October. As you may know, in the IT industry, there is typically no compensation for overtime work, etc. Please advise.

Best,
Gia

In that event, the employee shall be paid double the amount of daily average wages and also receive compensatory off in lieu of working on a national holiday in terms of Sec. 35(4) of the Bombay Shops Act 1948.

Regards,
B. Saikumar
HR & Labour Law Advisor