Dear All,
First of all let me clarify how do you get leaves.
Under Section 25 of NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS ACT, 1881 it is given that if the date of maturity of any negotiable instrument falls on a public holiday that instrument shall be payable on the next working day. The government each year be it a central govt. or state government declare the list of holidays to be observed as public holidays for financial institutions. Governments declare holidays which are observed as holidays for their employees only. However the governing law be it shops act or factories act provide the leaves available to private companies employees. three national holidays are available to all irrespective of the government employee or private sector employee i.e. 26 Jan, 15 Aug and 2 Oct. Many businesses need to work 24x7x365 due to their business requirement. For this they take specific approvals to be open on all days but that does not mean the employee is exploited due to this. Every employee who works on a national holiday gets double the ordinary rate of wages and in some areas if the applicable law permits a compensatory off too. Like in Bombay Shops and establishment act Section 35 (4) reproduced below:
[35 (4) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, every employee, irrespective of his period of employment, shall be entitled to additional holiday on the 26th January, 25[1st May, 15th August and 2nd October every year. For holiday on these days, he shall be paid wages at a rate equivalent to the daily average of his wages (excluding overtime), which he earns during the month in which such compulsory holidays falls:
Provided that the employer may require any employee to work in the establishment on all or any of these days, subject to the conditions that for such work the employee shall be paid double the amount of the daily average wages and also leave on any other day in lieu of the compulsory holiday.]
Employers do give customary offs on the local festivals other than the leaves available and the national holidays. hope this clarifies the situation. if you still have questions/doubts feel free to revert.