The Government of Goa has officially issued a notification allowing women to work between 7:00 PM and 6:00 AM in all shops and commercial establishments, under the Goa Shops and Establishments Act, 1973. This move, made under Section 17A, marks a significant policy step towards improving workforce inclusion, while ensuring robust safety standards for women during night shifts.
The Department of Labour has made it clear that night shift employment for women is conditional and subject to strict compliance with protective provisions.
🔐 Key Conditions for Employing Women at Night:
- Written Consent Mandatory
Women can only be employed during night hours with their explicit written consent. - Safe Transport Required
Employers must ensure secure transport facilities for pick-up and drop to the woman worker’s residence. - CCTV Surveillance
The workplace must be equipped with CCTV cameras in areas where women are employed to enhance security and monitoring. - Safe and Equitable Workplace
Employers must provide a healthy and secure working environment that does not disadvantage women in any form of employment.
📅 Effective Date:
This notification comes into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette, i.e., July 3, 2025
🧩 Why It Matters:
This notification aligns Goa with several other Indian states working to enable greater participation of women in the workforce, especially in retail, hospitality, and services sectors. The emphasis on transport, consent, surveillance, and safety aims to balance flexibility for businesses with strong safeguards for female employees.
For compliance, establishments are advised to maintain detailed documentation of worker consent, transport arrangements, and CCTV infrastructure, and ensure overall safety protocols are in place.
For full legal reference, stakeholders should consult the official notification issued by the Goa Labour Department.