Not considering any proposal to increase working hours to 70 or 90 hrs per week: Govt

New Delhi: The Government on Monday told Parliament that it is not considering any proposal to increase the maximum working hours to 70 or 90 hours a week.

Recently, some of the corporate leaders proposed to increase the maximum working hours to 70 and even 90 hours a week.

“No such proposal to increase the maximum working hours to 70 or 90 hours a week is under consideration of the Government,” stated Minister of State for Labour & Employment Shobha Karandlaje in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

She informed the House that labour being a subject under the Concurrent List, the enforcement of labour laws is done by state governments and the Central government in their respective jurisdictions.

While in the Central sphere, the enforcement is done through the inspecting officers of the Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM), the compliance in the states is ensured through their labour enforcement machineries, she stated.

As per the existing labour laws, working conditions, including working hours and overtime, are regulated through the provisions of the Factories Act 1948 and the Shops and Establishments Acts of the respective state governments.

Most of the establishments, including the corporate sector, are governed by the Shops and Establishments Act.

About the discourse over 70-90-hour work week, pre-Budget Economic Survey on Friday last had cited studies to state that

spending over 60 hours a week on work could have adverse health effects.

The survey noted that spending long hours at one’s desk is detrimental to mental well-being, and individuals who spend 12 or more hours (per day) at a desk have distressed or struggling levels of mental well-being.