- In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(1)

"adult " means a person who has completed his eighteenth year of age;

(1A)

[ "apprentice " means a person, who is employed, whether on payment of wages or not, for the purpose of being trained in any trade, craft or employment in any establishment;] [Clause (1-A) Inserted by Act 33 of 1970.]

(2)

"child " means a person who has not completed his twelfth year of age;

(3)

"close day " means the day of the week on which a shop or establishment remains closed;

(4)

"closing hour " means the hour at which the shop or commercial establishment closes;

(5)

"commercial establishment " means any premises wherein any trade, business or profession or any work in connection with, or incidental or ancillary thereto is carried on and includes a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860), and charitable or other trust, whether registered or not, which carries on any business, trade or profession or work in connection with, or incidental or ancillary thereto, journalistic and printing establishments, contractors and auditors establishments, quarries and mines not governed by the Mines Act, 1952 (35 of 1952), educational or other institutions run for private gain, and premises in which business of banking, insurance, stocks and shares, brokerage or produce exchange is carried on, but does not include a shop or a factory registered under the Factories Act, 1948 (43 of 1948), or theatres, cinemas, restaurants, eating houses, residential hotels, clubs or other places of public amusements or entertainment;

(6)

"day " means a period of twenty-four hours beginning at mid-night:

Provided that in the case of an employee whose hours of work extended beyond mid-night, day means the period of twenty-four hours beginning when such employment commences irrespective of mid-night;

(7)

[ "employee " means a person wholly or principally employed, whether directly or otherwise, and whether for wages (payable on permanent, periodical, contract, piece-rate or commission basis) or other consideration, about the business of an establishment and includes an apprentice and any person employed in a factory but not governed by the Factories Act, 1948 (43 of 1948), and for the purpose of any matter regulated by this Act, also includes a person discharged or dismissed whose claims have not been settled in accordance with this Act;] [Substituted by Act 33 of 1970]

(8)

"employer " means the owner of any establishment about the business of which persons are employed, and where the business of such establishment is not directly managed by the owner, means the manager, agent or representative of such owner in the said business;

(9)

"establishment " means a shop, a commercial establishment, residential hotel, restaurant, eating-house, theatre or other places of public amusement or entertainment to which this Act applies and includes such other establishment as Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare to be an establishment for the purpose of this Act;

(10)

"factory " means a factory as declared or registered under the Factories Act, 1948 (43 of 1948);

(11)

"family " means the husband, wife, son, daughter, father, mother, brother, sister or grandson of an employee, living with and wholly dependent on such employee;

(12)

"Government " means the [Chief Commissioner, Delhi;] [Replaced by Lt. Governor of Delhi.]

(13)

"holiday " means a day on which an establishment shall remain closed or on which an employee be given a holiday under the provisions of the Act;

(14)

"hours of work " or "working hours " means the time during which the persons employed are at the disposal of the employer exclusive of any interval allowed for rest and meals and "hours worked " has corresponding meaning;

(15)

"inspector " means an Inspector appointed under section 36 of the Act;

(16)

"leave " means leave as provided for under this Act;

(17)

"occupier " means a person owning or having charge or control of establishment and includes the manager, agent or representative of such occupier;

(18)

"opening hour " means the hour at which [a shop or commercial establishment] [Substituted by Central Act, 21 of 1961.] opens for the service of a customer;

(19)

"prescribed " means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(20)

"register of establishments " means a register maintained for the registration of establishments under this Act;

(21)

"registration certificate " means a certificate showing the registration of an establishment;

(22)

"religious festival " means any festival which the Government may by notification in the Official Gazette declare to be a religious festival for the purposes of this Act;

(23)

"residential hotel " means any premises in which business is carried on for the supply of dwelling accommodation and meals on payment of a sum of money by a traveller or any member of the public or a class of the public and includes a club;

(24)

"restaurant " or "eating house " means any premises in which is carried on wholly or principally the business of the supply of meals or refreshment to the public or a class of the public for consumption on the premises;

(25)

"retail trade or business " includes the business of a barber or hair-dresser, the sale of refreshment of intoxicating liquors, and retail sales by auction;

(26)

"schedule " means a schedule appended to this Act;

(27)

"shop " means any premises where goods are sold either by retail or wholesale or where services are rendered to customers, and includes an office, a store-room, godown, warehouse or workhouse or work place, whether in the same premises or otherwise, used in or in connection with such trade or business but does not include a factory or a commercial establishment;

(28)

"spread-over " means the periods between the commencement and the termination of the work of an employee on any day;

(29)

"summer " means the period covering the months of April, May, June, July, August and September;

(30)

"wages " means wages as defined in section 2 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (11 of 1948);

(31)

"week " means the period of seven days beginning at mid-night on Saturday;

(32)

"winter " means the period covering the months of October, November, December, January, February and March;

(33)

"year " means the calendar year;

(34)

"young person " means a person who is not a child and has not completed his eighteenth year of age.