We are writing to update you on a significant development for employers in Haryana, with the recent promulgation of the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 (attached), published in the Official Gazette on November 12, 2025 (“Ordinance“).

This Ordinance amends the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958 (“S&E Act“) and modernizes requirements pertaining to coverage, registration, working hours, documentation, and penalties.

We have outlined below the key highlights of these amendments:

• Coverage & Registration: The S&E Act (except Section 13A) now applies to shops and commercial establishments employing 20 or more workers. Section 13A (intimation requirement) applies to establishments employing less than 20 workers. Consequently, only establishments which have more than 20 workers will now need to register with the labour authorities, and others will simply have to send an online intimation.
  Further, the 3-year validity period of registration certificates under the S&E Act has been done away with, and such certificates will now be valid until they are amended, cancelled or revoked.

• Appointment Letter and ID cards: The newly inserted Section 20A requires employers to issue appointment letters to all employees with the employee’s photograph and obtain an acknowledgement of receipt from the employees. Another newly inserted Section 20B requires employers to issue identity cards to all workers with prescribed particulars.
• Revised Hours of Work: Maximum daily working hours under Section 7 have been revised from 9 hours to 10 hours. Further, the overtime limit has now been increased to 156 hours per quarter from the earlier limit of 50 hours per quarter. Additionally, the rest interval under Section 8 is now required to be provided after every 6 hours (previously 5 hours).
• Enhanced Penalties: The obsolete regime of (petty) “fines” has now been replaced with “penalty” with relatively larger amounts, up to INR 25,000/- in some cases. Certain offences have also been decriminalized by omitting imprisonment as a consequence of violation.

While the Ordinance needs to be laid before the State legislature during the next session under Article 213 of the Constitution, please note that the Ordinance is effective from the date of its publication, i.e. November 12, 2025.

Accordingly, employers must immediately revisit relevant policies and practices to ensure compliance with the newly imposed working hour & overtime requirements, revisit their processes for issuing appointment letters (with photographs & acknowledgement) and identity cards to all workers. The relevant teams including Legal, HR, finance & payroll should be made aware of the updated provisions, particularly regarding working hours, overtime and the enhanced penalties.

Should you need any further advice on implementation of these changes or in drafting / revising your organisation’s policies, please feel free to reach out to Rachit Bahl and Jatinder Singh Saluja.