Working hours shape the balance between productivity and employee well-being. Excessive work hours can cause burnout, while too few can reduce efficiency.
In India, labour laws regulate how long employees can work, how breaks must be provided, and how overtime must be paid.
These rules ensure fairness, protect health, and promote better workplace discipline.
National Legal Framework
Working hours in India are governed primarily through:
-
Factories Act, 1948 – Governs workers in manufacturing and factory setups.
-
State Shops and Establishments Acts – Apply to employees in shops, offices, IT, retail, and service industries. Each state has its own act.
-
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code, 2020 – A national framework consolidating labour laws. It allows flexibility up to 12-hour days but retains a 48-hour weekly cap. Not yet fully implemented across all states.
National Standards for Working Hours
-
Daily Limit: 8–9 hours per day
-
Weekly Limit: 48 hours per week
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours per day (extendable to 12 with state approval)
-
Rest Interval: 30 minutes after 5 hours of work
-
Overtime Pay: Twice the ordinary rate of wages
-
Weekly Off: At least one day of rest every week (usually Sunday)
State-wise Working Hour Rules in India
Labour Law Working Hours in Andhra Pradesh
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Break: 30 minutes after 5 hours of work
-
Overtime: Paid at double the wage rate
-
Women may work night shifts in IT/ITES with safety and transport measures.
Labour Law Working Hours in Arunachal Pradesh
-
Daily limit: 8–9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Overtime: Paid at double wages
-
Weekly rest: One day
-
Applies to all establishments under the state Shops and Establishments Act.
Labour Law Working Hours in Assam
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double pay
-
Night work for women requires permission and safety provisions.
Labour Law Working Hours in Bihar
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Paid at double rate
-
Employers must maintain attendance and overtime records.
Labour Law Working Hours in Chhattisgarh
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double wages
-
Women may work night shifts with prior government approval.
Labour Law Working Hours in Goa
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Break: 30 minutes after 5 hours
-
Applies to tourism, retail, and service sectors.
Labour Law Working Hours in Gujarat
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours (extendable to 12 with approval)
-
Overtime: Double wages
-
Women allowed night work with safety measures.
Labour Law Working Hours in Haryana
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Paid at twice the rate
-
Weekly rest day is mandatory.
Labour Law Working Hours in Himachal Pradesh
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double wages
-
Women and adolescents have restricted working hours.
Labour Law Working Hours in Jharkhand
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Break: 30 minutes after 5 hours
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Weekly off: One full day of rest.
Labour Law Working Hours in Karnataka
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
IT and ITES employees may work flexible hours with consent and safety.
Labour Law Working Hours in Kerala
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Rest interval: 30 minutes after 5 hours
-
Overtime: Double wages
-
Night work allowed for women with security and transport.
Labour Law Working Hours in Madhya Pradesh
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Paid at double rate
-
Night work for women allowed under conditions.
Labour Law Working Hours in Maharashtra
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours (extendable to 12)
-
Overtime: Double the ordinary wage
-
Night work allowed for women with consent and transport.
Labour Law Working Hours in Manipur
-
Daily limit: 8–9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Rest break: 30 minutes
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Weekly off required.
Labour Law Working Hours in Meghalaya
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Rest interval: 30 minutes minimum.
Labour Law Working Hours in Mizoram
-
Daily limit: 8–9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Night work for women not allowed unless permitted.
Labour Law Working Hours in Nagaland
-
Daily limit: 8–9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Rest interval: 30 minutes
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Applies to all establishments under the state act.
Labour Law Working Hours in Odisha
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Paid at double wages
-
Night shifts require rest of 24 consecutive hours after completion of weekly work.
Labour Law Working Hours in Punjab
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Women’s night work allowed with consent and security.
Labour Law Working Hours in Rajasthan
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Paid at double wages
-
Women can work night shifts with approval and safety provisions.
Labour Law Working Hours in Sikkim
-
Daily limit: 8–9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Weekly off mandatory.
Labour Law Working Hours in Tamil Nadu
-
Daily limit: 8 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Women’s night work allowed in IT and healthcare with conditions.
Labour Law Working Hours in Telangana
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Paid at double rate
-
Night work allowed for women in IT/ITES with permission.
Labour Law Working Hours in Tripura
-
Daily limit: 8–9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Weekly rest compulsory.
Labour Law Working Hours in Uttar Pradesh
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Paid at double wages
-
Women can work at night with approval and safety measures.
Labour Law Working Hours in Uttarakhand
-
Daily limit: 9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Double rate
-
Weekly rest required.
Labour Law Working Hours in West Bengal
-
Daily limit: 8–9 hours
-
Weekly limit: 48 hours
-
Spread-over: 10.5 hours
-
Overtime: Paid at double rate
-
Night work allowed with safety measures.
Impact of the New Labour Codes
The OSHWC Code, 2020 introduces flexibility allowing daily working hours up to 12, while maintaining a 48-hour weekly cap.
States can adopt this by issuing notifications.
This change may permit 4-day work weeks but raises concerns about fatigue and enforcement.
Employer Compliance Requirements
Employers in all states must:
-
Maintain attendance and overtime records
-
Display notices of working hours
-
Provide weekly offs and rest breaks
-
Pay overtime at double rate
-
Ensure workplace safety, especially for night shifts
Failure to comply may lead to penalties, suspension of business licenses, or prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the maximum legal working hours per day in India?
Generally 9 hours per day, though it can extend to 12 under the new labour code.
Q2. Can employees be forced to work overtime?
No. Overtime must be voluntary and paid at double the regular rate.
Q3. Are lunch breaks included in working hours?
No. A 30-minute break after 5 hours is mandatory and excluded from total working time.
Q4. Do IT and private companies follow these laws?
Yes. They fall under respective State Shops and Establishments Acts.
Q5. What happens if these laws are violated?
Employers face fines, penalties, or legal action. Employees may approach Labour Commissioners or Labour Courts.
Conclusion
All 28 Indian states follow the same guiding principles of labour welfare:
a maximum of 8–9 hours per day, 48 hours per week, mandatory rest breaks, and overtime compensation at double wages.
While new labour codes may modernize and standardize these rules, the foundation remains unchanged —
work must never come at the cost of health, safety, or fairness.
