Maharashtra: 10 Hours Workday, More Overtime, Night Shifts for Women For Private Sector

The Maharashtra government is considering amending the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017. As per the proposed changes, the state may raise the daily maximum working hours for private sector employees. 

Officials said the department has suggested five major changes:

• Extending the daily work hours from nine to ten.
• Increasing the overtime cap from 125 to 144 hours in three months
• Updating the rules on continuous work hours with mandatory breaks.
• Allowing women to work later hours.
• Shops and establishments with 20 or more employees will now fall under the Act. Earlier, only those with more than 10 workers were covered. 

The proposal was presented by the state labour department to the cabinet in Mumbai on Tuesday, August 26. This law governs working hours in shops, lodging facilities, entertainment venues, and other establishments.

As per reports, the government is studying the proposal. The goal is to bring more flexibility to the workplace and align state rules with global standards. The cabinet has asked the labour department to provide more details before any decision is taken. 

Sources suggest that many employees in private establishments are already working longer hours without proper pay. The department said the revisions are meant to resolve long-standing issues for both employers and workers. It also said the changes would help create safer and more comfortable workplaces, especially for women.

On Tuesday, August 26, the cabinet also cleared the draft of the Maharashtra Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2025. Along with this, Maharashtra is preparing wider reforms under the Factories Act, 1948.