Delhi Govt Allows Night Shifts for Women, New Layoff Rule : Eases Labour Norms for Businesses

The Delhi government instructed the Labour Department to allow women to work in night shifts with their consent and increase safeguards through amendments to the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act and notifications under the Factories Act.

Also, directed to amend the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act to increase the threshold of minimum number of employees from one to 10 for the applicability of the Act and to allow shops and establishments to work 24/7.

Further, the threshold for requiring layoff and closure permission under the Industrial Dispute Act was increased from 100 to 200 workers.

While labour unions have demanded protection for affected workers, the reforms aim to improve the ease of doing business in the capital.