Odisha Assembly clears night shifts for women, tweaks work rules

India Dec 03, 2025

Odisha just passed a new bill letting women work night shifts—if both they and their employers agree in writing, and safety steps are in place.
The law also bumps up daily working hours from nine to 10 (but weekly hours stay capped at 48).

Why should you care?

This move is meant to open up more jobs for women and make things easier for small businesses—shops with fewer than 20 employees now get a break from old rules.
Overtime limits have been raised too, with double pay for extra hours.
But not everyone's on board: opposition leaders worry about longer workdays and women's safety at night, especially after recent incidents.
The bill reflects Odisha's push to balance worker protections with business growth as the economy evolves.