4-Day Work Week A Reality Soon? Centre Mulling Changes In Provisions Of Labour Code

Labour Ministry is engaged in formulating relevant rules and regulations to implement the four new Labour Codes in the next few weeks to usher in labour reforms.

(Representative Image/ Getty)

New Delhi: In what may be considered as a rejoice of several working class, the Union Ministry Labour and Employment is mulling options to provide employees to work four days a week, albeit with longer working hours. While speaking about the same with reporters, labour secretary Apurva Chandra explained that the Centre is most likely to pass four labour laws under which employers will be able to deploy employees on four, 12-hour workdays per week shifts.

However, he made it clear that the weekly 48-hours work limit will stay. Companies will also be able to select various forms of shifts including five day working with 10 hours shift and six day working with 8 hours shift. 

"See, there will be a maximum of 48 hours of work in a week. If someone works for 8 hours a day, then there will be 6 working days per week. If a company opts for 12-hour working per day for its employees, it means four-day working and three holidays," Chandra told news agency IANS.

"If daily working hours are increased, you will have to give the workers similar holidays also. There will be 5 or 4 working days if duty hours are increased. It will now be mutually agreed to by the employees and employers as to what is appropriate for them. No one will be able to work for 12 hours a day," he said. 

Currently, the Ministry is engaged in formulating relevant rules and regulations to implement the four new Labour Codes in the next few weeks to usher in labour reforms.

Chandra also informed that the government is not forcing employees or employers and the new rules will give flexibility. The minister also stated that if employers chose to deploy four-day work week, then they will have to provice three-day off to employees before starting the new week. 

Besides, the Labour Ministry is also progressing to roll out a web portal by June 2021 for registration and other facilities of workers in the unorganised sector, including gig and platform workers and migrant workers as enshrined in her budget speech this year by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Chandra during his interaction also said that the implementation of codes on wages, industrial relations, occupational safety, health and working conditions and social security will extend social security to all employees in the country.