How Do I Create a Flexible Holiday List for Multiple Branches? Seeking Advice!

Dear seniors, we have 9 branches in India. Every year, I prepare a holiday list branch-wise and circulate it; we provide a total of 10 holidays in a year. This time, my CEO has asked me to create a list of 10 additional holidays and choose 2 flexi holidays from this list. How can I accomplish this? Could anybody help with this and share some data or policies?

Thanks in advance,

Prema

Yes, this can be possible. Apart from the compulsory National Holidays and other Festival holidays, create a list of 10 additional holidays under the heading Discretionary Holidays (DH) and allow employees to choose any two from the list.

You should list the mandatory national holidays and select the festival holidays. As the list is limited to 10, you should choose carefully. Moreover, you have 9 branches. If those are in different states, there may be a few more compulsory holidays in that state. For example, in Karnataka, Kannada Rajyotsava on 1st Nov is a mandated holiday.

Holiday List for 2012

Please find attached the holiday list for 2012.

Creating a Holiday Policy

How do I create a policy for the same? How do I explain to employees about choosing the flexi holiday? Usually, we have 10 holidays. Since we are introducing the flexi holiday, should employees be entitled to 12 days, or should I ask employees to select from within the existing 10 days?

Regards

Please find attached the format required under the Tamil Nadu Industrial Establishment National & Festival Holidays Act. You can write in the remarks to choose the optional holidays from the list.

Regards.

You are welcome. Please be informed that it is mandatory to obtain "Holidays Approval in Form III" from the concerned Labor Authority if there are any changes in the Festival Holidays approval you obtained earlier. You can write to us if any further clarifications are required. E-mail: [Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

One suggestion in connection with the R/H listing:

1. Please add Family Function - 1 Day.

2. Please add Birthday/Wedding Day - Self/Child, etc.

This way, employees will mostly prefer to avail of these, and the number of people on leave on a particular day can be easily managed. Additionally, the facility can be extended with flexibility. After all, this is a welfare benefit. Plan this.

Regards,
Suresh K
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons].

You may also refer to the practice followed in government organizations where flexible holidays are termed as restricted holidays. Generally, 2 RH are allowed from a very long laundry list of restricted holidays. The list for 2013 may be accessed at the following site: persmin.nic.in (I am not able to paste the link).

However, based on my experience, I would suggest allowing 2 flexi holidays at the discretion of the employee for any day. This would be easier to manage than issuing two lists (holidays and flexi holidays) or maintaining a database of employees' family members' birthdays/anniversaries, etc.

Thanks