After Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu Now Permits Round-The-Clock Operation Of Shops And Commercial Establishments 

All shops and commercial establishments in Tamil Nadu, employing at least 10 people, can now stay open for 24 hours all through the year, according to a new order released by the Labour department of the Tamil Nadu government, The New Indian Express reported.

The new notification, amending the existing provisions of the Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishment Act 1947, was issued yesterday (Jun 6).

The permission to allow round the clock working of shops and commercial establishments was first implemented first in Maharashtra.

The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment had released a model Shops and Establishment (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Bill 2016, seeking uniform working conditions across the country with flexibility provided to the States and union territories to modify its provisions.

Based on the model act, Tamil Nadu State Labour department submitted a proposal permitting all shops and establishments in the State to remain open 24x7 on all days of the year, initially for three years. The TN government accepted the proposal with certain conditions.

Th notification released by the TN government provides several safeguards for ensuring that employees are not exploited including clause restricting the work hours to not more than eight hours on any given day and not more than 48 hours in a week. An employer will also be permitted to allow woman to work between 8pm and 6am after obtaining her written consent and providing adequate protection.

The notification also stipulates that every employee shall be given one day off in a week on a rotation basis, and the employer should exhibit details of employees who are on holiday/leave on a daily basis in a prominent place in the establishment. The wages, including overtime wages, of employees, should be credited to their savings bank account. Transport should be provided to woman employees who work in shifts.

According to the notification, transport should be provided to woman employees who work in shifts. If employees are found working on any holiday or after normal duty hours without proper indent of overtime, penal action will be initiated against the employer/manager.