Government of Punjab, exercising its powers under Section 28 of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958 (“Punjab Shops Act”),on June 17, 2025, exempted all establishments from the provisions of Section 9 (relating to opening and closing hours) and Section 10(1) (relating to Sunday being a closed day). This exemption permits establishments to operate 365 days a year until May 31, 2026, unless revoked earlier. The exemption is subject to strict conditions, including that every employee must be granted a weekly paid holiday, with a list of such holidays displayed monthly on the noticeboard. Employees must also be provided a rest period of 1 hour after every 5 hours of continuous work and shall not work more than 10 hours per day or 48 hours per week. Further, establishments must ensure adequate safety and security arrangements for both employees and visitors if the premises remain open after 10 p.m. Additional staff must be appointed for extended working hours, and separate lockers, security arrangements, and restrooms must be provided for female employees. Establishments must also constitute an Internal Complaints Committee as per the provisions of the PoSH Act. Female employees cannot be engaged after 8 p.m. without their written consent, and employers must ensure proper safety arrangements and safe transportation after duty hours. Compliance with the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 is mandatory. The daily spread-over of working hours must not exceed 12 hours, and employees are entitled to paid national and festival holidays. Wages must be credited directly to employees’ savings bank accounts. The exemption may be withdrawn if any of the conditions or provisions of the Punjab Shops Act are violated, subject to providing the employer an opportunity to be heard.
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