BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Monday extended the maximum daily work hours for all categories of commercial establishments from existing nine to 10 while allowing women employees to work night shifts and enhancing overtime wages for the workers.
The state cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi approved proposals for amendments to the Factories Act, 1948 and the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956 to maximise productivity, ease of doing business, and enhance economic activities.
Announcing the decisions after the cabinet meeting, the chief minister said the maximum daily work time will now be 10 hours subject to an upper-limit of 48 hours in a week. The amendments will be applicable to all groups or classes of industries and factories as well as shops and commercial establishments.
Majhi said amendments to the Factories Act will allow women employees to work night shifts between 7 pm and 6 am in all factories, shops and commercial establishments. However, they will be engaged only with their written consent. The night shift engagement of women will be subject to issues of their safety or any other conditions prescribed by the state government, he added.
The chief minister said the state government through a notification may also increase the total working time without a break to six hours, but for 12-hour work time there will be a break in between. The total working hours with intervals in such cases will also not exceed 13 hours. Besides, the total working hours in a week including overtime will not exceed 60 hours, he added.
Majhi also said the overtime wages will be twice the rate of the ordinary wages. The proposal to increase the overtime limit from 115 hours to 144 hours during a quarter in any financial year was also approved.
The chief minister said the amendments will be applicable to all shops and commercial establishments which engage 20 or more employees. Shops and commercial establishments will have the choice to remain open 24X7 in a day and 365 days in a year, he added.
Stating that these reforms will reduce compliance burden on small businesses and provide impetus to entrepreneurs, the CM said it will enhance earnings of employees by allowing more overtime work. Besides, it will also promote higher work participation opportunities for women in organised and corporate sector.