Cabinet approves revision allowing women to work night shifts in hospitality sector

Wednesday, 16 July 2025 00:33 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved to amend existing labour regulations allowing female employees over the age of 18 to work night shift as food servers and presenters in hotels with residential facilities and restaurants.

The revision applies to Regulation 3 under the Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Act No. 19 of 1954, expanding the scope of permitted night-time employment for women in the hospitality sector.

Due to operational challenges long cited by industry stakeholders, the Labour Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando proposed a revision to Regulation 3 under the Act.

“It is understood that this legislation is very old and the economic opportunities have changed drastically since 1954 with the expansion of the new industries. Thus, this revision was considered following stakeholder lobbying to amend the law,” Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

According to the prevailing regulations, any female employee completed 18 years of age can be engaged in the duties of a receptionist of a hotel with accommodations, an attendant of a female coat room, an employee of a female garments room or an employee of a female washroom after 6:00 p.m. and before 6:00 a.m. However, this limitation created operational challenges for hotels and restaurants, especially those offering 24-hour services. It has been pointed out that numerous problematic situations erupt when maintaining operations, since service of food serving females engaged in hotels with accommodation facilities and restaurants are only up to 10.00 pm.

Under the revised regulation, female employees can now legally continue serving in customer-facing roles such as food presentation and service during night hours.

Dr. Jayatissa also added that the Justice Ministry and the Attorney General’s Department are reviewing some of the key legislations, bills and ordinance that are outdated to suit the current economic dynamics.

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