Overview
- The Labour Department issued a formal notification allowing women to work night shifts in shops and commercial establishments, with liquor outlets excluded.
- Employers must obtain women’s written consent and comply with hour limits of nine per day, 48 per week, with no more than five hours of continuous work without a break.
- Overtime must be paid at double the normal rate, with double pay and compensatory leave for national holidays, alongside statutory benefits such as minimum wages, PF, ESI, bonus, and leave.
- Workplaces must ensure safe transport and security for night staff, avoid assigning women exclusively to night duty, and constitute Internal Complaints Committees under the POSH law.
- Establishments must maintain CCTV footage for at least one month for inspection, display the notification prominently, and use the online process with undertakings for exemptions under the Act.