This Ordinance updates the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958:
- Applicability Threshold: The Act will now apply to establishments employing 20 or more workers.
- Registration: Registration is simplified to an automatic mode based on self-certification through an online portal.
- Working Hours Flexibility: Working hours are made flexible to accommodate a five-day or six-day work week, while the weekly limit of 48 hours remains unchanged.
- Overtime Limit Increased: The continuous and quarterly overtime limit has been raised significantly from 50 hours to 156 hours. All overtime work must be voluntary, recorded, and compensated at double the normal wage rate.
- Worker Protection: It is now mandatory for all employers to issue appointment letters and identity cards to their employees.
- Decriminalization: Replaces imprisonment clauses for minor procedural or economic offences with monetary penalties, aiming to promote a business-friendly environment.