Every employee takes leave, yet few employers can name all the types they are expected to offer. Get the mix right and your team feels supported while you stay compliant. Get it wrong and you face disputes, payroll errors, and even legal trouble. This guide explains the types of leave in India in 2026, which ones the law makes mandatory, how many days are typical, and the specific rules Delhi NCR employers must follow. Use it to build a leave policy that is fair, clear, and compliant.
- Two broad groups: Leave is either statutory, which the law requires, or company leave, which you offer by choice.
- The core three: Earned leave, casual leave, and sick leave form the base of almost every Indian leave policy.
- Statutory ones: Earned leave, maternity leave, and public holidays are legally mandated, not optional.
- Delhi rules: The Delhi Shops and Establishments Act sets the minimum earned, casual, and sick leave for most Delhi businesses.
- Encashment and carry-forward: Earned leave usually carries forward and can be encashed; casual and sick leave often cannot.
- Policy is key: A written leave policy, applied evenly and tracked in software, prevents most leave disputes.
What Is Leave and Why the Type Matters
Leave is paid or unpaid time off that an employee is entitled to take from work. The type of leave decides three things: whether it is paid, whether it carries forward or can be encashed, and whether the law forces you to grant it.
So the label is not just paperwork. Earned leave builds up and holds cash value, while casual leave is meant for short, unplanned breaks and usually lapses. Naming each type correctly in your policy is what keeps payroll accurate and employees clear on what they can take.
Statutory Leave vs Company Leave
Before the list, fix this distinction. The law mandates statutory leave, such as earned leave under the Shops and Establishments Act or maternity leave under the Maternity Benefit Act. You cannot offer less than the legal minimum.
Company leave, on the other hand, is anything you choose to add, like bereavement, marriage, or sabbatical leave. These improve your benefits and help you attract talent, but the law does not require them. A strong policy blends both.
The Main Types of Leave in India
Below are the leave types you will find across most Indian workplaces, starting with the three that form the core of any policy.
Earned Leave (EL) or Privilege Leave
Earned leave is paid annual leave that an employee builds up over the year, usually around 15 days. Typically, it covers planned holidays, carries forward if unused, and can normally be encashed. It is the most valuable leave type for employees.
Casual Leave (CL)
By contrast, casual leave covers short, unplanned absences, such as a personal errand or a one-day emergency. It is paid, usually capped at a few days a year, and typically cannot be carried forward or encashed. Most policies limit how many casual leaves you can take at once.
Sick Leave (SL) or Medical Leave
Sick leave is paid time off for illness or medical recovery. In practice, employers often ask for a medical certificate beyond two or three consecutive days. Like casual leave, it is usually not encashable and may or may not carry forward, depending on your policy.
Maternity Leave
Maternity leave is a statutory right of 26 weeks of paid leave for the first two children, under the Maternity Benefit Act. It is fully paid and job-protected. For the full rules on eligibility and ESI, see the guide to maternity leave in India.
Paternity Leave
Meanwhile, paternity leave is short paid leave for new fathers, commonly a few days to two weeks. It is mandatory only for central government employees; in the private sector it is a company benefit, though more Delhi NCR employers now offer it to stay competitive.
Compensatory Off
Separately, a compensatory off, or comp off, is a day off granted in return for working on a holiday or weekend. It balances extra hours worked without paying overtime. The detailed rules and format are covered in the guide to compensatory off.
Bereavement and Marriage Leave
For example, bereavement leave gives an employee paid time to grieve the loss of a close family member, usually three to five days. Marriage leave offers a few paid days for an employee’s own wedding. Both are company benefits, not legal requirements, but they signal a caring workplace.
Leave Without Pay (LWP)
Finally, leave without pay, also called loss of pay, applies when an employee has exhausted all paid leave but still needs time off. You deduct these unpaid days from salary. Clear LWP rules keep payroll clean when someone overshoots their balance.
Public Holidays and Sabbatical Leave
In addition, public holidays include national holidays like Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti, plus state festival holidays. A sabbatical is an extended break, paid or unpaid, for study or personal reasons, offered by some employers for long-serving staff.
Types of Leave in India at a Glance
The table below sums up the common leave types, typical duration, and whether they are statutory or company-granted.
| Leave Type | Typical Days | Paid | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earned leave | Around 15 a year | Yes | Statutory |
| Casual leave | 7 to 12 a year | Yes | Statutory in most states |
| Sick leave | 7 to 12 a year | Yes | Statutory in most states |
| Maternity leave | 26 weeks | Yes | Statutory |
| Paternity leave | A few days to 2 weeks | Yes | Company (govt statutory) |
| Compensatory off | Per extra day worked | Yes | Company |
| Bereavement leave | 3 to 5 days | Yes | Company |
| Leave without pay | As needed | No | Company |
| Public holidays | 10 to 15 a year | Yes | Statutory |
Leave Rules for Delhi Employers
For a Delhi NCR business, the leave floor is set by the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act. It mandates minimum earned leave of around 15 days a year, along with casual and sick leave, which you cannot reduce below the legal limit.
Moreover, the Maternity Benefit Act applies in full, and the Delhi holiday calendar governs your public holidays. Build these minimums into your policy first, then add company leave on top. You can see the full entitlements in the Delhi leave policy guide, and plan encashment with the leave encashment rules in Delhi.
How to Manage Leave Well
Still, knowing the types is only half the job. The other half is applying them consistently. A written leave policy that spells out each type, the days allowed, carry-forward rules, and the approval process prevents most disputes before they start.
However, tracking leave by hand across a growing team quickly becomes error-prone, especially with different balances per employee. A good leave management software records every leave type, applies your rules automatically, and feeds approved leave straight into payroll, so balances and salaries always match.
Final Word
The types of leave in India range from the statutory core of earned, casual, sick, and maternity leave to company benefits like bereavement, marriage, and sabbatical leave. Knowing which is which keeps you compliant and your team clear on what they can take.
For Delhi NCR employers, start from the Shops and Establishments Act minimums, layer on the benefits that help you attract talent, and write it all into one clear policy. Back that with software, and leave stops being a monthly headache and becomes a simple, fair system everyone trusts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main types of leave in India?
The main types are earned leave, casual leave, and sick leave, plus maternity leave, paternity leave, compensatory off, bereavement leave, marriage leave, leave without pay, and public holidays. The first few are statutory, while others are company benefits.
What is the difference between earned leave and casual leave?
Earned leave is annual paid leave that builds up, carries forward, and can usually be encashed, meant for planned holidays. By contrast, casual leave is for short, unplanned absences, is capped, and generally cannot be carried forward or encashed.
Which types of leave are mandatory in India?
Earned leave and public holidays are mandatory under state Shops and Establishments Acts, and maternity leave is mandatory under the Maternity Benefit Act. Also, casual and sick leave are statutory in most states.
How many earned leaves do employees get in Delhi?
Under the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, employees are entitled to around 15 days of earned leave a year, in addition to casual and sick leave. However, employers can offer more but not less than this minimum.
Is sick leave encashable?
Usually not. Because sick leave covers illness, most policies do not allow it to be encashed or carried forward. Instead, earned leave is the type that typically carries cash value.
Is paternity leave mandatory in India?
It is mandatory only for central government employees. In the private sector, by contrast, paternity leave is a company benefit, though a growing number of Delhi NCR employers now offer it to stay competitive.
What is leave without pay?
Leave without pay, or loss of pay, is unpaid time off taken after an employee has used up all paid leave. You deduct the days from salary, so a clear policy should govern them.
How should a company decide its leave types?
Start with the statutory minimums under the Shops and Establishments Act and the Maternity Benefit Act, then add company leave like bereavement or marriage leave to strengthen your benefits. Finally, put everything in a written, evenly applied policy.
