Sick Leave Rules in Delhi (NCT)

Under Section 22 of the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954, every person employed in a shop or establishment is entitled, in every year, to sickness or casual leave with wages of not less than 12 days — a single combined entitlement rather than separate sick and casual buckets (unlike Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, which allocate each separately). This 12-day leave accrues at one day per month of continuous employment and does not carry forward to the next year. The Act also provides privilege (earned) leave of not less than 15 days after every 12 months of continuous service, which can accumulate up to three times the annual entitlement (45 days) if unused. Employers may decline a casual-leave request on grounds of exceptional work pressure, but not when the leave is sought on account of an accident, a death in the family, or sickness of the employee or their spouse or child. Sick leave beyond a short duration is commonly supported by a doctor's certificate, which is also the document employers require to allow an employee to resume duty after illness.

Employees covered under the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Act (typically those earning within the applicable wage ceiling, at covered establishments) can additionally claim ESI sickness benefit, administered separately by ESIC, alongside — not instead of — their Shops Act entitlement.