Debate over work-life balance is nothing new. From business like Narayana Murthy to Bollywood actors like Deepika Padukone, everyone has an opinion on it. How many hours should one work, 8, 9 or even more? Is one of the most discussed and debated questions. Now, the Maharashtra Government has stepped into the discussion and is reportedly considering a proposal that could impact the daily work routine of private sector employees.
According to Maharashtra Labour Minister Akash Fundkar, the state government is considering increasing the maximum daily working hours for private sector employees from the present nine to 10 hours a day. Reportedly, the concerned department has presented the proposal to the state Cabinet during its meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday, August 26.
The Minister stated that the proposed changes are being examined to bring flexibility to workplaces and align Maharashtra’s labour laws with international practices.
What You Should Know
As per reports, the proposal involves making revisions to the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017. Notably, this act governs working hours in shops, hotels, entertainment venues, and other businesses in Maharashtra.
Among the five major amendments suggested by officials, one includes increasing the permissible overtime from 125 to 144 hours within three months and revising provisions related to continuous working hours, including mandatory breaks.
Through these proposed changes, the department aims to provide comfortable working environment. It also aims to address the various long-standing concerns of employees and the employers.
“Once the labour codes are finalised, women will also get to work at late hours. In the existing rules, shops and establishments with 10 or less workers were not covered under our ministry. The new proposal raises the number to 20,” Fundkar said.
“In many private establishments, we found that people are working for longer hours than the prescribed ones but do not get paid for the extra work. This is one of the reasons we are considering increasing the working hours,” the minister added.
However, the minister also stressed that no final decision has been taken and all the proposal are under consideration.
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