• Source:JND

Maharashtra News:  In a significant move, the Maharashtra government is considering increasing the daily working hours of a private sector employee from the existing nine to ten hours. This change would come through an amendment to the Maharashtra Shops and Establishment (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act 2017.

The proposal seeks to introduce key changes in the act governing working hours for employees across shops, hotels, entertainment venues and other establishments in the state, Hindustan Times reported. The proposal was presented by the state labour department during the state cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Sources familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times that the cabinet has sought clarity on the suggested changes.

What Key Changes Are On The Table?

The Labour Department is planning to introduce five key changes to the 2017 Legislation, with the most notable being an increase in the working hours from nine to ten.

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- “No adult worker will be required or allowed to work in any establishment for more than 10 hours on any day.”

- In addition to this, employees can work for six hours at a stretch only if they are granted a half-hour break. Currently, employees can work for five hours at a stretch.

- The Labour Department has also proposed to revise the permissible overtime limit for an employee from 125 to 144 hours over three months.

- As of now, employees can work up to 10.5 hours (including overtime), but the new amendment aims to increase the overtime limit to 12 hours.

- In cases of urgent work, the existing daily limit of 12 hours may be scrapped completely, thereby setting no maximum limit to work hours.

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WHO Will Be Impacted By The Proposed Amendments?

If implemented, the proposed amendments will apply only to establishments with 20 or more employees, whereas the current rules apply to companies with 10 or more employees. “The ministers wanted more clarity on provisions and their impact, and hence the decision was put on hold today,” a senior minister told Hindustan Times.