All establishments in Telangana granted conditional exemption from prohibition on engaging women workers in night shifts (between 8:30 pm and 6:00 am)

The Government of Telangana has notified exemption from application of Section 23 of the Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988 (restrictions on working hours for women between 8:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.) to all Shops and Commercial Establishments in the State, subject to ensuring compliance with the following terms and conditions:

1. Employer is required to obtain consent of women employees in writing to work in night shifts;
2. The establishment has to provide transport facilities from the residence of the woman employee to the workplace and back, free of cost and with adequate security. Such transport facility must have GPS for tracking and monitoring;
3. Employer to ensure that employment of women is done on rotation basis;
4. The safety and security measures should include provision of shelter, rest rooms, lunch-rooms, night crèches and ladies toilets, adequate protection of their privacy, dignity, honour and safety, protection from sexual harassment, employment of at least 5 women employees together;
5. The said relaxation will not apply to a women employees during the period of 16 weeks before and after her childbirth, of which at least 8 weeks shall be before the expected childbirth, and for such additional period, if any, as specified in the medical certificate stating that it is necessary for the health of the woman employee or her child;
6. Adequate number of security guards should be posted during night shift
7. Transport and Safety:

• • The establishment should obtain Bio-data of each driver and conduct pre[1]employment screening of the antecedents of all drivers employed.
  • The Schedule of route of pick-up and drop should be decided by the supervisory officer of the company only. In case of exigencies, change of drivers/ routes/shifts shall be allowed only with the prior knowledge of supervisory officers/employees;
  • The personal details, particularly mobile phone numbers, email ID and address of the women employees should not be disclosed to unauthorised persons
  • Careful selection of routes should be made in such a way that no women employees is picked up first and dropped last
  • The company should provide security guards at workplace and night shift vehicles when women employees are being picked up first or dropped last;
  • The designated supervisors of the company or service provider should randomly check the vehicles on various routes as for as possible;
  • The establishment should have a control room/travel desk for monitoring movement of vehicles;
  • The Company should maintain the records and furnish returns as prescribed by the State Government within time

8. Failure to comply with the above conditions, it may lead to cancellation of the Registration Certificate and /or withdrawal of the above exemption in respect of such establishment.
9. The exemption granted under this order may be revoked at any time without any prior notice.

Source: Government of Telangana