Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Amendment Act, 2025: Key Reforms for Employers

The Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Amendment Act, 2025 (Haryana Act No. 13 of 2026), published on February 5, 2026, updates the 1958 Act effective from November 12, 2025. It aims to ease business operations through digital compliance while enhancing worker protections, particularly for establishments in Haryana.​

Key Features and Applicability

• Applicability Threshold: The Act applies to shops and commercial establishments employing 20 or more workers. Establishments with fewer than 20 workers are required only to comply with a simplified “intimation requirement” (Section 13A), which involves notifying the Labour Department online about business activities.​
• Online Registration and Compliance: All covered establishments must register online. Registration is digital and must be updated promptly for any subsequent changes, including within thirty days from the date of commence of business.​ The following details are required for registration:
  • the name of the employer and the manager
  • postal address along with GPS location of the establishment
  • name of the establishment
  • number of persons employed in the establishment
  • nature of the business of an establishment
• A registration certificate issued shall be valid until it is amended or cancelled upon closing of the establishment or revoked by the Inspector after verification.

 Working Hours and Overtime

• Increased Working Hour Limits: The daily working hours limit has been increased to 10 hours (earlier 9), with the weekly maximum remaining at 48 hours. Overtime has been increased from 50 hours to 156 hours per quarter, and must be voluntary, properly recorded, and compensated at double the normal rate.​
• Rest and Breaks: The continuous stretch without a break is now up to 6 hours, an increase from the previous 5 hours.​

Worker Protection and Employer Obligations

• Appointment Letters and Identity Cards: Employers must provide all employees with appointment letters (with photograph) and identity cards.​
• Notification of Closure/Changes: Any closure of the establishment must be intimated online within 30 days. Amendments to details (such as name, manager, workforce) require updated registration without any additional fee.

Penalties and Enforcement

• Decriminalization: Imprisonment provisions for minor offences have been replaced with monetary penalties, promoting a more business-friendly environment.​
• Penalty Structure: Fines begin at ₹3,000 for first offences (failure to register, false records, etc.) and can go up to ₹10,000, with daily penalties for continued violations. False entries or omitting required records also attract strict penalties.​
• Alignment with New Criminal Law: References to the Indian Penal Code, 1860, have been replaced to align with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.​

These amendments are intended to balance worker welfare with ease of doing business, improve transparency via digital systems, and align state-level law with broader legislative changes in India.

Please find the attachment below:

HaryanaSEAmendment