Maharashtra considers extending daily work hours to 10 under Labour Law revamp

The proposal was presented before the state cabinet during its meeting in Mumbai earlier this week. According to PTI, the proposed changes are being studied to bring flexibility to workplaces and align state labour laws with international practices, he said. The cabinet has requested additional information from the labour department before finalising any decision. “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. The minister further added that it has been observed that people are working longer hours than the prescribed ones, but do not receive payment for the extra work. “Having a law in place will help address the issue.” 

Around five major amendments have been proposed, including an increase in permissible overtime from 125 to 144 hours in three months and revisions to 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.