Work for 10 hours a day? Maharashtra plans longer working hours in private companies

THE Maharashtra government is in talks to increase the maximum working hours of employees in private companies from the present nine to 10 hours a day by revising the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017.

The proposal aims to make some crucial changes in the act that regulates working hours for employees in shops, hotels and entertainment venues, among others, across the state, Hindustan Times (HT) reported.

The state labour department presented the proposal during the state cabinet meeting held on Tuesday. While the matter was discussed, sources familiar with the proceedings told HT that the cabinet has sought more clarity on the suggested changes.

What are the proposed changes?

The labour department is planning to make around five major changes in the 2017 legislation, the most significant of which will be the increase in work hours.

“No adult worker will be required or allowed to work in any establishment for more than 10 hours on any day,” as stated in the proposed amendment in section 12 of the Act.

Additionally, the proposal suggests that adults may work over six hours at a stretch only if they are granted a half-hour break. Currently, the maximum stretch an employee can work continuously is capped at five hours.

The department has also recommended raising the permissible overtime limit for an employee from 125 to 144 hours over three months.

Currently, employees can work up to 10.5 hours (including overtime), but the new proposal seeks to extend this limit to 12 hours. In cases of urgent work, the existing daily cap of 12 hours may be scrapped completely, thereby setting no maximum limit to work hours.

Who will these changes apply to?

If enacted, the proposed changes will only apply to companies employing 20 or more employees. The current rules are applicable to establishments having 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, on condition of anonymity, told HT. Officials said the proposal was made in the cabinet following the long-pending demand from the sector.

Debate around long work hours

In January this year, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman S N Subrahmanyan sparked an online debate by advocating a 90-hour workweek and suggesting employees should even work on the weekends, including Sundays.

This statement by an industry leader re-ignited the work-life balance debate that enveloped Infosys founder Narayan Murthy's calls for a 70-hour work week last year.

As more leaders are coming forward to advocate for longer working hours, concerns are rising about burnout, declining mental health, and the sustainability of such expectations. 

Elista, a consumer durables and smart accessories brand, said earlier that “Productivity is driven by focus and efficiency, not long hours. Overworking leads to burnout, reduced creativity, and declining work quality.”