My employer in Bhubaneswar is making me work on national holidays without extra pay, is this legal?

Detailed Legal Analysis

National holidays and festival holidays are notified by the state government under the Odisha Rent Control Act 1962 applicable to your establishment in Bhubaneswar. Generally, three national holidays, namely Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti, are compulsory holidays.

If an employer requires you to work on a notified holiday, you must be given a compensatory holiday within 90 days or be paid at twice the ordinary rate of wages. The Orissa High Court has held that denial of national holidays is a violation of statutory rights and the employer can be prosecuted.

The state may also prescribe festival holidays specific to the region, and the number varies by state. You should check the state's holiday notification displayed at your workplace in Bhubaneswar.