J&K Shops and Establishments Bill 2025 Sets Work-Hour Limits, Worker Protections
New law ends bias, mandates safety and leaves.
The Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government will introduce the Jammu and Kashmir Shops and Establishments (Licensing, Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2025, in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday during its ongoing autumn session in Srinagar. The comprehensive legislation consolidates and updates labor laws across the Union Territory, applying to all shops and commercial establishments.
A landmark provision explicitly prohibits discrimination against women in recruitment, training, transfers, promotions, or wages. With written consent and employer-guaranteed safeguards, including protection of dignity, anti-sexual harassment measures, and safe transport from workplace to residence, women will be allowed to work night shifts for the first time under regulated conditions.
The bill establishes clear work-hour limits. No adult worker can exceed 48 hours weekly or 8 hours daily, with a mandatory 30-minute break after every 5 hours of continuous work. Total shift duration, including intervals, is capped at 10.5 hours (extendable to 12 for urgent tasks), while overtime is restricted to 144 hours per quarter. Employers must issue formal appointment letters detailing terms of service.
Also Read: Omar Abdullah Rejects BJP Alliance for J&K Statehood
Worker protections include one-month notice or pay in lieu for termination or resignation after 240 days of continuous employment (waived only for proven misconduct), 14 days of casual leave annually, earned leave at one day per 20 worked (accumulable to 30 days with encashment option if denied), eight paid festival holidays, including Independence Day, Republic Day, and Gandhi Jayanti, plus weekly paid rest days. Wrongful dismissal allows employees to claim 1.5 months’ wages as compensation via the Assistant Labour Commissioner.
Establishments with 30 or more women workers or 50 total employees must provide rest rooms and crèches. The bill empowers labor authorities to enforce compliance and imposes penalties for violations, aiming to formalize employment practices and enhance workplace equity across Jammu and Kashmir’s growing commercial sector.
Also Read: J&K Rajya Sabha Polls: BJP Scores Amid Cross-Voting, Wins One Seat; NC Takes Three
