State leave law reference
Sick Leave Rules in Maharashtra
What the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017 actually guarantees — and how to get a doctor-verified certificate to support it.
Statutory sick leave entitlement
Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017
Unlike several other states, the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017 does not prescribe a separate statutory sick-leave entitlement. Instead, workers are entitled to 8 days of casual leave with wages per calendar year (credited quarterly, lapsing if unused), plus earned/privilege leave of one day for every 20 days worked once 240 days of service in a year is completed, accumulable up to 45 days. In practice, this means medical absence in Maharashtra is typically covered through an employer's own sick-leave policy or through casual/earned leave rather than a dedicated statutory sick-leave bucket — which makes clear, doctor-issued documentation for any medical absence even more useful when an employer's internal policy (not the Act) is what determines acceptance.
ESI sickness benefit
Employees covered under the ESI Act can separately claim ESI sickness benefit regardless of the Shops Act's leave categories, administered by ESIC.
Need a certificate to support your leave?
An NMC-registered doctor reviews your case online and issues a QR-verifiable certificate — delivered in 15–30 minutes on Priority Care, without a clinic visit.
Maharashtra sick leave — FAQs
What is the statutory sick leave entitlement in Maharashtra?
Unlike several other states, the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017 does not prescribe a separate statutory sick-leave entitlement. Instead, workers are entitled to 8 days of casual leave with wages per calendar year (credited quarterly, lapsing if unused), plus earned/privilege leave of one day for every 20 days worked once 240 days of service in a year is completed, accumulable up to 45 days. In practice, this means medical absence in Maharashtra is typically covered through an employer's own sick-leave policy or through casual/earned leave rather than a dedicated statutory sick-leave bucket — which makes clear, doctor-issued documentation for any medical absence even more useful when an employer's internal policy (not the Act) is what determines acceptance.
Can I also claim ESI sickness benefit in Maharashtra?
Employees covered under the ESI Act can separately claim ESI sickness benefit regardless of the Shops Act's leave categories, administered by ESIC.
Statutory minimums verified against the Act text as of 2026-07-07. Individual employer policies are often more generous than the statutory floor.