Delhi notifies rules allowing women to work night shifts at shops with mandatory written consent, double overtime pay, ICCs, CCTV and employer-arranged transport.
The Delhi government has formally notified rules that allow women to work night shifts at shops and commercial establishments, with a set of safeguards to protect employees’ rights and safety. The change inserts two new entries into the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act, 1954, and makes written consent from women mandatory before they are assigned night duties. Employers must ensure safety, security and transportation arrangements for staff asked to work overnight.
Key protections include overtime paid at double the normal rate under Section 8, a cap of nine hours per day (including meal and rest time) and a maximum 48-hour workweek. No employee may work continuously for more than five hours without a break, and compensatory leave will be granted for work on national holidays. The notification also requires employers to provide statutory benefits such as minimum wages, provident fund, insurance and bonus.
To strengthen workplace safety, every establishment employing women must form an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under the POSH Act (2013). Employers will also be required to install CCTV cameras and preserve footage for at least one month, with recordings to be produced on demand to authorities such as the Chief Inspector of Shops. The rules also stipulate that shift schedules must be organised so no employee is forced to work only night shifts.
