The Maharashtra Shops and Establishment (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) Act, 2017
The Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) Act 2017, which replaces the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act 1948, came into effect from 7 December 2017.
The act introduces significant reforms for the employment conditions of the workers in the areas particularly related to the time of operation, overtime, holidays and leave, welfare, health and safety of the workers. In line with the Equal Remuneration Act,
1976, this act brings the provision of no discrimination for women workers in matters like recruitment, promotion, training or transfer. The act has introduced facilitators who have dual roles; the main function being advising the employers and the workers
towards a better compliance of the act and the inspection of the Establishments. Also, instead of inspection at any reasonable time based on the discretion of the labour authorities, inspections are allocated randomly through online portal.
In order to ensure Ease of doing Business the Labour Department, Government of Maharashtra, has simplified the process of issuing the registration certificate of shops and establishment under this act. Establishments
employing 10 or more employees need to obtain the registration certificate (online) which will be valid for a lifetime. The Department has abolished the provisions for renewals which needed to be done from time to time. The firms employing less than 10 workers
only need to intimate about the commencement of their shops/ establishments.
The Labour Department, Government of Maharashtra, has also issued a GR (Dated 28/02/2020) regarding the issuance of registration certificate within a
Single day from the date of receipt of application.