According to these sources, the Karnataka government is considering modifying the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act of 1961. The tech and IT companies are striving to incorporate their proposals into the modification. The IT companies are advocating for an extension of work hours to 14 hours. If the state government adopts it, they will legally implement 12 hours plus two hours of overtime. This change will be enacted by the state government. However, the staff is strongly against this decision. Employees at an IT company say the proposal to expand working hours is inhumane, citing health issues and layoff concerns.
How many hours of work does the current labor law permit?
Current labor laws allow employees to work a consistent 9-hour shift with the option of adding an hour for overtime. IT companies propose that employees in the IT/ITeS/BPO sector may work more than 12 hours a day and not exceed 125 hours in three continuous months.
According to sources, the government has just held its first meeting on this topic. They expect further choices to be made shortly. It appears that the Cabinet will consider the proposal shortly.
The idea prompted strong resistance against the Karnataka IT industry from employees
The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) expressed concern about the decision to lengthen working hours. They expressed their concerns in a press release, claiming that the reduction in shift numbers would lead to a domino effect of job losses across the working population. In Karnataka, software businesses have approached the state government. A proposal to extend their employees’ work days to as many as 14 hours. However, this recommendation has not gone unnoticed by the workers, who believe it is extremely stringent and could compromise their health and job security.
