state-mulls-12-hour-workdays-for-private-staff-in-maharashtra

Employees at private establishments in Maharashtra may soon face longer working hours and higher overtime limits under proposals being considered by the state’s labour department.

 

The changes form part of five major amendments suggested to the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017.

 

Officials said the proposals are currently under review and were presented before the state cabinet on Tuesday. However, the cabinet has sought further clarity on the implications before making a decision.

 

At present, the law allows for 10.5 hours of total work in a day, including half an hour of overtime. The labour department is reportedly considering extending this to 12 hours. Alongside, the maximum overtime period, now capped at 125 hours in three months, may be raised to 144 hours.

 

One proposed change states that an adult may work for more than six hours at a stretch only if a half-hour break is provided. This would raise the longest permissible continuous working stretch, which currently stands at five hours.

 

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Officials indicated that in urgent situations, the proposed limit on daily working hours may not apply, removing the maximum cap on shift timings. A senior minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “The ministers wanted more clarity on provisions and their impact and hence the decision was put on hold today.”

 

If the amendments are cleared, the rules of the 2017 legislation will apply to private establishments employing 20 or more staff, up from the current threshold of 10 employees.

 

It was earlier reported that the government is also examining changes that could increase daily working hours, presently set at nine hours, to 10 hours. The law governs conditions of service for employees working across shops, hotels, entertainment venues and other private establishments in Maharashtra.

 

The proposals have drawn attention as they could significantly alter the work conditions of staff in the private sector, particularly with respect to overtime and shift flexibility.