Fri. Mar 29th, 2024
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The proposed new labor laws could provide companies with flexibility of four working days in a week with an extended 3 days weekend. The limit of hours of work per week, is proposed to remain the same i.e. 48 hours. With 4 days a week model, employees will have to work 12 hours a day.

This emphatically implies that there would be longer working daily hours. The labor secretary has clarified, that having a reduced number of working days does not mean a cut in the paid holidays. This comes as a welcomed step by the employees.

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Chandra said, “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, 5 or 6 working days”

The process of implementing the labor laws is underway and will be completed in the coming week.  Chandra added “all stakeholders are also consulted in framing of rules. This ministry would soon be in a position to bring into force the four codes, viz. code of wages, industrial relations, social security and health and relations”.

Additionally, it has been reported that the workers will be provide free medical checkups through the Employees State Insurance Corporation.

It is also to be noted that the ministry is not forcing the employees or the employers to comply with the provisions, adding that law is being brought into force to provide more flexibility and to be in sync with the changing working culture.

A recent survey conducted in 2020 showed that majority of Indian employees are of the view that the implementation of flexible working hour labor code is at least 5 years away in India. This view, as a matter of fact, is due to the detestable working standards already existing in India. Where employees, in many cases, are made to work beyond 5 days in a week, 4 days a week seems like a faraway destination.

Currently, in India, employees work for more than 48 hours per week, which strictly breeches ILO’s labor standards of 48 hours.

The four day a week concept was initiated in Germany, when the country’s largest trade union – IG Metall called for 4 days a week model. In fact, this comes when Germany already has the lowest working hours per week at 34.2 hours.

picture credits- employee benefit news

To test the productivity aspect of the model, Microsoft in 2019 had conducted the experiment in its Japan’s office. It was reported that the productivity jumped up by 40% as 4 days a week made for a perfect work-life balance.

To add to the list of merits of the 4 days per week model is the reduction in the usage of electricity consumption and paper usage. It has even been reported by the World Economic Forum that the survey conducted of the companies which had already implemented the model, the total savings reached 92 billion euros (roughly around 2% of the total turnover).

But it is not all rosy and revolutionary as it might sound. As certain service sectors, with 4 days per week model will not be able to meet the demand of the consumers. In addition to it, the law benefits only the select sectors. The labor laws fail to include informal sector.

Though the provisions for opening an online portal to register all the informal sector workers has been suggested but it is just a mere idea to be initiated in the future, the credibility of which cannot be vouched for in the present scenario.

Moreover, the law isn’t mandatory to be implemented by the corporations, thus with no government regulations or interventions, such employee friendly laws being implemented by the corporations is questionable.

By Shivani Khanna

A woman who believes in equal rights and aspires to inspire people through her writings. I aspire to contribute to the economic world and society with diligence and thus being an economic advisor tops my career ambitions . I currently am pursuing Economic honours ( at undergrad level) from delhi university.