Maharashtra considering move to increase working hours in private sector

Mumbai, Aug 27 (PTI) Maharashtra Government is considering a proposal to increase the maximum daily working hours for private sector employees from the present nine to 10 hours a day, Labour Minister Akash Fundkar said on Wednesday.

The proposed changes are being studied to bring flexibility at workplaces and align state labour laws with international practices, he said.

The state labour department presented the proposal to the state cabinet during its meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The proposal involves making revisions to the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017, which governs working hours in shops, hotels, entertainment venues, and other businesses in the state.

The state cabinet sought additional information from the labour department before any decision is taken, the minister said.

“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,” he said.

Fundkar, however, underlined that the government is still in the process of deliberation.

“No final decision has been taken on any of the issues yet. All the proposals are under consideration,” he stressed.

“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,” he said.

Officials said the labour department has suggested around five major amendments, including an increase in permissible overtime from 125 to 144 hours in three months and revising provisions related to continuous working hours with mandatory breaks.

The department has argued that the proposed changes would provide a more comfortable working environment, particularly for women, and address the long-standing concerns of employees and employers alike. PTI ND VT VT