Maharashtra private establishments may soon require employees to work 10hrs
What's the story
The Maharashtra government is considering a proposal to extend the maximum working hours for employees in private establishments from the current nine to 10 hours a day. This change is part of proposed amendments to the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017, according to HT. The law currently governs working hours for shops, hotels, entertainment venues, and other workplaces across the state.
Amendment details
Proposal presented to state cabinet
The state labor department presented the proposal to the state cabinet on Tuesday. However, the cabinet has sought more clarity before any decision can be made. Per HT, the labor department is planning to make roughly five substantial amendments to the 2017 legislation. "No adult worker will be required or allowed to work in any establishment for more than 10 hours on any day," the proposed amendment in section 12 of the Act said.
Overtime changes
Proposed changes in maximum working hours
Furthermore, it is proposed that an adult be allowed to work more than six hours at a time if a half-hour break is included. The agency also proposed increasing the duration of overtime for an employee from 125 to 144 hours in three months. Currently, the maximum daily working hours, including overtime, are capped at 10.5 hours. The proposal seeks to raise this limit to 12 hours.
Others
Changes would apply to businesses that have 20+ employees
In cases of urgent work, there would be no maximum limit on work hours if the current cap of 12 hours per day is removed. The Act's provisions would now apply only to establishments with 20 or more employees instead of the current threshold of 10 or more workers. The provisions of this Act will apply to businesses that have 20 or more employees. At present, the law applies to businesses with 10 or more employees.