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Diwali staff bonus and leave coverage notice for housing societies

Security guards, housekeeping staff, gardeners, lift operators and the facility team work hardest during the festival. Many societies thank them at Diwali with a gift, sweets or a cash collection from residents. At the same time, some of the same staff want leave to go home for the festival. Both need a little planning, and a notice that is clear about what is the society's responsibility and what is a voluntary gesture from residents.

Know who employs whom

Before anything else, the committee should be clear on how each group of staff is engaged. Some are employed directly by the society, many are provided by a security or housekeeping agency, and others (domestic helps, drivers, cooks) work for individual households and are not the society's staff at all.

This matters because any bonus the staff are entitled to as employees is a matter between them and their employer, under their contract and whatever labour laws apply. For agency staff, that is the agency. This guide does not cover those obligations; if you are unsure what applies to staff your society employs directly, ask your agency, your accountant or an adviser. What follows is about the voluntary festival gesture residents often make on top.

A resident collection for staff

If residents want to give a Diwali gift to common staff, a single pooled collection is usually fairer and calmer than each flat tipping individually at the gate:

Keep it clearly voluntary and separate from the celebration contribution, unless the committee has decided to combine them and says so.
Collect into the society's account or through one named person who keeps a record.
Decide in advance how it will be shared: equally among all common staff, or by a simple rule the committee agrees and can explain, and include staff on every shift, not only those residents see during the day.
Hand it over openly, ideally at a small gathering, and tell residents the total and the number of staff it was shared among.

Leave and coverage

Staff leave over Diwali is reasonable and should be planned, not refused at the last minute. Ask the agency or supervisor, well before the festival, for the leave schedule and the replacement plan. The committee's concern is coverage: the gate and the visitor process staffed on every shift, especially on the festival nights; at least one person who knows the fire equipment, the power and water shut-offs and the emergency numbers; and housekeeping available on the mornings after for the clean-up.

If replacements will be new to the building, ask the supervisor to brief them on the layout, the cracker area if there is one, and the gate process. Tell residents in the notice that some staff will be on leave, so they are patient with new faces.

Household staff

Domestic helps and drivers are engaged by individual residents, so their bonus and leave are each household's own decision. The society notice can still help by reminding residents to tell security in advance about any temporary help or changed timings, so the gate is not caught out.

Free sample notice

Subject: Diwali 2026 - Thank You to Our Staff, and Leave Cover Dear Residents, Our security, housekeeping and maintenance staff work extra hours over Diwali. As every year, residents who wish to may contribute to a voluntary Diwali gift for all common staff. - Contribution: voluntary, any amount. Pay to [Society account / UPI in the society's name] with note "Staff Diwali" and your flat number, or to [Name, Flat No.] who will give a receipt. - Last date: [Date]. - The total will be shared [equally among all [number] common staff across all shifts / as per committee decision], and handed over on [Date]. We will share the total collected with all residents. Leave cover: some staff will be on leave between [dates]. [Agency / Supervisor name] has confirmed replacement staff for every shift. Please bear with new faces at the gate, and inform security in advance about any guests, deliveries or temporary household help. Thank you, [Name], Secretary, on behalf of the Managing Committee Date: [Date]

Copy it, replace every [bracket], and read it once more against your own society's decisions before posting.

Checklist for the committee

☐ Clear list of which staff are society, agency or household engaged.
☐ Employer obligations checked with the agency or an adviser, not assumed.
☐ Staff gift collection kept voluntary and separate from event funds.
☐ Sharing rule decided in advance and covers every shift.
☐ Total collected and number of staff shared with residents.
☐ Leave schedule and replacements confirmed by the agency or supervisor.
☐ Every shift covered on festival nights, including someone trained on fire equipment.
☐ Replacement staff briefed on layout, gate process and emergency numbers.

Planning aid, not legal advice. This guide is a planning aid for society committees, not legal advice. Rules on firecrackers, noise, fire safety and use of common areas are set by courts, state governments, police and municipal authorities, and by your own society's bye-laws. They change, sometimes every year. Always check the current official order for your city before you post a notice.

Want the whole set ready?

The NoticeKart Society Diwali Packet has 8 ready notices in English, हिन्दी, मराठी and ಕನ್ನಡ, a 21-day committee plan, and volunteer, vendor, budget, kids' and safety sheets, editable in Google Docs / Sheets. See what's inside · ₹349 one-time.