CM Fadnavis Cabinet approves longer work hours for private sector employees
In a crucial labour standards revision move, the Maharashtra Cabinet under CM Devendra Fadnavis, has approved amendments to enhance the daily working hours for private sector employees from 9 to 10 hours. The decision aligns the state with others like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Tripura, which have already implemented similar changes.
The amendments will be made to the Factories Act, 1948, and the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017.
Reportedly, the amendments will permit industries to function sans disruption amidst peak demand or labour shortages even as ensuring that workers receive proper overtime compensation.
With this, the limit of daily working hours in industries will increase from nine to 12 hours, while rest breaks will be allowed after six hours instead of five.
The legal overtime cap will increase from 115 to 144 hours per quarter, with mandatory written consent from workers. Weekly work hours will also be extended from 10.5 hours to 12 hours.
Likewise, under the amended Shops and Establishments Act, daily working hours will be escalated from nine to 10, overtime limits from 125 to 144 hours, and emergency duty hours will be extended to 12. The changes will apply to the establishments having 20 or more workers.
Establishments employing fewer than 20 workers will no longer need registration certificates but must notify authorities through a simple intimation process.
As per the state government, the move is designed to boost ease of doing business, attract new investments, create jobs and nsure better wage protection and rights for workers, including double pay for overtime.
The Labour Department, which tabled the proposal, emphasized that the reforms will create a more flexible and inclusive work environment, particularly beneficial to women and addressing long-standing concerns from both employers and employees.
News Edit KV Raman
