RGNUL's SHRAMVAAD Initiative Conducts Survey on Labour Law Compliance in Patiala

The survey aimed to evaluate the extent to which labour laws are understood, implemented, and enforced, particularly within small establishments and the informal sector.

Scope of Survey

The empirical study covered retail shops, food and beverage establishments, service outlets, and street vendors. It examined compliance with:

• The Punjab Shops and Establishments Act, 1958

• Allied labour legislations relating to wages, social security, and maternity benefits

• The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014

Data collection methods included structured interviews with employers, informal discussions with employees, direct workplace observations, and limited review of statutory records and registers.

Key Areas of Examination

The survey assessed:

• Working hours and overtime compensation

• Leave entitlements

• Women's labour protections

• Minimum age norms

• Wage payment practices

• Occupational safety measures

• Enforcement and inspection mechanisms

Particular attention was given to the role of awareness levels, administrative opacity, and the effectiveness of inspection regimes in shaping compliance outcomes.

Key Findings

The survey revealed a pattern of partial compliance.

While most formal establishments were registered under applicable laws, statutory display requirements were largely ignored. Managerial awareness of specific legal obligations was found to be limited.

Despite extended working hours being common, lawful overtime compensation was reported to be entirely absent.

Higher compliance was observed in areas influenced by social sensitivity and reputational considerations, including restrictions on night work for women and adherence to minimum age requirements.

Implementation of maternity benefits was uneven and often underutilised. Wage payments in organised establishments showed increasing formalisation through digital modes.

However, labour inspections were reported to be infrequent, and enforcement mechanisms appeared weak.

Street vendors were found to operate in near-total regulatory invisibility, with no registration and little awareness of statutory protections under the 2014 Act. The findings underscore a significant gap between legislative intent and ground-level implementation in the unorganised and semi-organised sectors.