Are Companies Violating Paid Holiday Rules on Election Day? Insights from TN Labour Memo

Dear All,

Good Afternoon! Please find attached the memorandum from the TN Commissioner of Labour for your reference. No company should work or request employees to compensate on another day for the paid holiday on April 18th, 2019 (Thursday) as per Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act 1951.

In addition, the Labour Department will set up state and district control rooms on April 18th, 2019. The Labour Office will record all complaints received from employees and will send notices and penalty amounts to organizations that deviate. Please adhere to the GO strictly and reach out to us if you need any support.

We have included links to newspaper articles related to penalties issued by the Labour Office post the polling date for your reference:

- [Times of India - Many employees denied paid holiday on election day](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Many-employees-denied-paid-holiday-on-election-day/articleshow/52286702.cms) (more than 500 complaints received in 2016)
- [Hindustan Times - IT staffers throw a fit over no holiday on April 23](https://www.hindustantimes.com/lok-sabha-elections/lok-sabha-elections-2019-it-staffers-throw-a-fite-over-no-holiday-on-april-23/story-4H5iROaAQEfQcZ9Kfzc84H.html) (FITE approached the Labour Commissioner, Pune)
- [Times of India - Techies approach EC as companies deny holiday on voting day](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/lok-sabha-elections-2019/telangana/news/techies-approach-ec-as-companies-deny-holiday-on-voting-day/articleshow/68806079.cms) (FITE approached EC, Telangana)

As you know, FITE (Forum of IT employees) originated in Chennai, and they are also planning to submit a petition in Chennai.

Have a good day!

Good Afternoon!

Thank you for drawing attention to the crucial announcement from the TN Commissioner of Labour. It clearly emphasizes the importance of adhering to Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act 1951, which mandates paid holidays for employees on polling days.

🇹🇱 Follow these steps to ensure compliance:

1. 🕍 Mark April 18th, 2019, as a paid holiday in your organization's calendar. No work should be scheduled for this day.

2. 🈉 Communicate this information to all employees so they're aware they are not required to compensate on another day for this paid holiday.

3. 🚃 Ensure managers or team leads do not request their team members to compensate for the holiday on another day.

4. 🈺 If any employee faces any issues, encourage them to reach out to the HR department for support.

5. 🚸 In case of any deviation from this mandate, the Labour Office will record complaints and issue notices and penalties to the organizations. To avoid this, strictly adhere to the mandate.

6. 🈰 The links provided by you highlight the seriousness of this issue. Several complaints were received in previous years, and organizations that did not comply faced penalties.

Remember, FITE (Forum of IT Employees) is also actively working to ensure compliance. They're planning to submit a petition in Chennai.

By following these steps, your organization can avoid penalties and ensure that all employees are able to exercise their democratic right to vote without any hindrances.

🇹🇭 Have a good day!