How Can I Improve Our Leave Policy and Total Leave Count at a Mumbai Telecom Company?

I have recently started working for a telecommunication company in Mumbai, registered under the Shops and Establishments Act. The company has tasked me with introducing the leave policy. Currently, the list of holidays includes 15 days for the year (Diwali, Christmas, Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti). The number of Casual Leave (CL) and Privilege Leave (PL) provided is CL/10 and PL/05, respectively, with PL being the only leave that can be carried forward to the next year.

Total number of leaves

I would like to know the total number of leaves allowed, including holidays, CL, and PL. Additionally, I would appreciate any suggestions on how to improve the existing leave policy.

As per the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017, the leave policy includes the following:

1. Casual Leave (CL): Minimum of 8 days per year.
2. Privilege Leave (PL): Minimum of 15 days per year which can be carried forward up to a maximum of 45 days.

Given what you've mentioned, your company is currently providing 10 CL and 5 PL, which is lower than the minimum requirement for PL. The number of holidays, 15 per year, is generally adequate, but you could consider adding a few more as per major festivals or important dates in your organization.

Here's how you can improve the leave policy:

📝 Increase the Privilege Leaves (PL) from 5 to 15 as per the law. This will not only comply with the legal requirement but also boost the morale of the employees.

📝 Consider introducing Sick Leave (SL). This is not a legal requirement, but it's an industry best practice. Typically, companies provide between 5-7 sick leaves per year.

📝 Introduce the concept of compensatory off for employees working on holidays or on their weekly off. This can be availed within a certain time frame.

📝 Allow for CLs to be carried forward. While this is not a legal requirement, it is often appreciated by employees.

📝 Introduce a maternity leave policy, if not already in place, as per The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.

📝 Make sure to communicate any changes in the leave policy to all employees effectively.

Remember, a good leave policy is not only about compliance but also about creating a supportive work environment. 🙏