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If you are a business owner or a HR professional, there are high chances of you finding yourself scratching your head over compliance with labour laws in India. We assure you that you’re not alone. One term that often pops up and leaves people puzzled is the standing order in labour law. It’s not just a piece of paperwork; it’s the backbone of workplace discipline and harmony.
Over the last three decades, we, at Vishaal Consultancy Services, have seen how getting this basic procedure right can save companies from legal troubles and boost employee morale. So, let’s break it down together—step by step—and turn you into a pro at drafting, certifying, and even translating standing orders. Ready? Let’s dive in!
Think of it as your company’s rulebook for all its employees. It’s a set of guidelines that defines working conditions, employee conduct, disciplinary actions, and everything required to run an organisation successfully. In India, this isn’t optional. It’s mandated under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, for industrial establishments with 100 or more workers, though some states, like Karnataka, lower this threshold to 50. The goal of labour law standing orders is to ensure fairness, transparency, and consistency in how you manage your workforce.
You might be wondering, “Why should I care?”
You must care because a well-drafted standing order in labour law does two big things: it protects your business from disputes and keeps your employees informed about their rights and duties. Without it, you’re vulnerable to labour unrest, penalties, or even court battles. Plus, it’s not just about compliance, it’s also about building trust with your employees.
Once the draft is ready, it’s time for the certification process of standing orders. This is where the real action begins. Under the Standing Orders Act in labour law, you must submit your draft to the Certifying Officer (usually a Labour Commissioner, or a designated authority, for instance, Deputy Labour Commissioner in Karnataka) within six months of the Act applying to your industrial establishment.
Here’s how it works:
This is where many organisations stumble. If your workforce speaks Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, or any other regional language, your standing order in labour law must be accessible to them. The law doesn’t explicitly mandate translation, but the certification process often requires you to submit drafts both in the local language and English.
Why is it important? Because a worker who doesn’t understand the rules can’t follow them. Translate key sections, including work hours, leave policies, disciplinary actions, accurately. Hire a professional translator if needed as Google Translate often doesn’t justify the legal content!
You got your draft standing order certified. What next? How do you stay on the right side of the law?
Here’s your compliance checklist:
Let’s talk traps. One common mistake to avoid is rushing the draft standing order process. A sloppy draft gets rejected, wasting time.
Another common pitfall is ignoring employee feedback during certification. That’s a fast track to objections and delays. And the last, but common oversight, is skipping the translation. Remember, unreadable rules breed confusion and non-compliance.
Here’s the fix:
Treat your standing order in labour law like a living document. Review it with fresh eyes, consult experts, and test it against real-world scenarios. Be as thorough as possible.
At Vishaal Consultancy Services, we’re not just about ticking the boxes—we’re about making compliance easy and effective. We offer solutions to all your statutory compliance needs, whether it is to draft a standing order or to streamline the certification process of standing orders. We’ll guide you through every objection and revision. Want translations that click with your workforce? We’ve got you covered.
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