Govt Proposes Flexibility Of 4 Working Days In A Week

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment on Tuesday proposed allowing companies to reduce number of working days to four a week and give free medical check-ups to workers.

“We are not forcing employees or employers. It gives flexibility. It’s an enabling provision in sync with the changing work culture. We have tried to make some changes. We have tried to give flexibility in working days,” Labour and Employment secretary Apurva Chandra said. Most states were in the final stage of drafting the rules, he added. 

“It (working days) could come down below five. If it is four, then you have to provide three paid holidays…so if it has to be a seven-day week, then it has to be divided into 4 or 5 or 6 working days. Under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 draft rules, the limit of working hours for a week was 48 hours. This limit was sacrosanct and will remain same. The employers and workers would have to agree to a change in working days. It cannot be forced,” he said.