WorkforceOSHR Operations
Holiday Calendar Planning for Multi-State Employers in India
· ATTPL WorkforceOS Team
A holiday calendar looks simple until a company has teams in several states. Each state has its own rules and festivals, and plants, sites and offices may need different calendars.
Why one calendar rarely fits all
India's holiday rules are largely set by the states. Many states have National and Festival Holidays Acts or similar provisions in their shops and establishments laws, which require a minimum number of paid holidays, including the national holidays — Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti — plus a set of festival holidays. Festivals and local holidays differ between Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra or any other state.
Building the calendar step by step
- List every location and the law that applies to it
- Include the mandatory national holidays
- Choose festival holidays to meet each state's minimum, considering the local workforce
- Add optional or restricted holidays employees can choose from
- Publish the calendar before the year starts and file or display it where state law requires
Special cases to plan for
On polling days, employees who are voters in that constituency are entitled to a paid holiday under election law. Continuous-process sites, hospitals and logistics operations cannot stop on holidays — plan rosters in advance and give compensatory off or holiday wages as required by law and policy. Our overtime rules guide explains related payroll treatment.
Communicate and automate
Publish location-wise calendars in the HR portal, sync them to employees' calendars, and make sure attendance and payroll systems know which days are paid holidays at each site. ATTPL HRMS supports location-wise holiday calendars, optional holidays and holiday work tracking.
Review every year
State governments revise holiday notifications every year, and the Labour Codes are changing several definitions. Review the calendar annually with legal input from ATTPL Legal, and align group-wide HR policies as described in our holding company guide on HR policy harmonisation.
Frequently asked questions
Which holidays are compulsory for all employers?
Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti are national holidays generally required across states, along with state-specified festival holidays.
Do employees get a paid holiday on election day?
Yes. Voters are entitled to a paid holiday on polling day in their constituency under election law.
What if an employee works on a holiday?
Provide compensatory off or holiday wages as per applicable law and company policy.
Sources
This article is general information, not legal advice. Labour law rules vary by state and establishment and are changing with the Labour Codes; confirm the current position before applying any policy.
See WorkforceOS in action
HRMS, attendance, leave, payroll and hiring in one platform for Indian businesses.