The Protective Labour Legislations           

Under this category come those legislations whose initial purpose is to defend labour standards and to develop the working conditions. Laws laying down the least labour standards in the areas of supply, hours of work, employment of children and women, etc. in the, mines, factories, transport, shops, plantations and other establishments are included in this category. Some are the following:

1. Factories Act, 1948

This particular Act is divided into twelve chapters covering 141 sections that are supplemented again by three schedules. The first Act was enacted in the year 1881 to regulate working conditions in factories initially for women and children and to provide them health and security measures. In the year 1911 the new Factories Act was enacted, by replacing the old one, covering also the hours of work for adults. Further the Act was improvised in the year 1934, incorporating recommendations of the Royal Commission of Labour. The new Act of year 1948 replaced the previous one and through a series of amendments made from time to time, now the Act is more comprehensive covering all of the areas of working conditions of labour.

2. The Shops and Establishments Acts

The Act in quintessence a state legislation. It find to regulate the working conditions of employee in the unorganized sector, including establishments and shops which do not come under the Factories Act Regulations for, rest intervals, working hours, holidays, overtime, maintenance of shops, termination of service,  and establishments and other rights & obligations of the employees and employer are laid down.