Industrial and Commercial Employment (Standing Orders) Ordinance, 1968 — section 11

11. Stoppage of work..—(1) The employer may, at any time, in the event of fire, catastrophe, break-down of machinery or stoppage of power supply, epidemics, civil commotion or other cause beyond his control, stop any section or sections of the establishment, wholly or partially, for any period or periods without notice.

(2)In the event of such stoppage during working hours, the workmen affected shall be notified by notices put upon the notice board in the departments concerned or of the office of the employer, as soon as practicable, when work will be resumed and whether they are to remain or leave their place of work. The workmen shall not ordinarily be required to remain for more than two hours after the commencement of the stoppage. If the period of detention does not exceed one hour, the workmen so detained shall not be paid for the period of detention. If the period of detention exceeds one hour, the workmen so detained shall be entitled to receive wages for the whole of the time, during which they are detained as a result of the stoppage. In the case of piece-rate workers, the average daily earning for 1 Inserted by Act No. XXIII of 1973, s. 6. the previous month shall be taken to be the daily wage. Wherever practicable reasonable notice shall be given of resumption of normal work. 1 [(3) In cases where workmen are laid-off on account of failure of plant, a temporary curtailment of production or any stoppage of work for reasons mentioned in clause (1), they shall be paid by the employed an amount equal to one-half of their daily wages during the first fourteen days of lay-off as compensation. When, however, the workmen have to be laid-off for an indefinite period beyond the above mentioned fourteen days, their services may be terminated after giving them due notice or pay in lieu thereof].

(4)The employer may in the event of a strike affecting either wholly or partially any section or department of the establishment close down, either wholly or partially, such section or department and any other section or department affected by such closing down. The fact of such closure shall be notified by notices put on the notice board in the section or department concerned and in the time keeper’s office, if any, as soon as practicable. The workmen concerned shall also be notified by a general notice, prior to resumption of work, as to when work will be resumed. 2