The Karnataka state government on Saturday, 2 January, said that shops and commercial establishments where ten or more people are employed can now operate on 24x7 basis, as reported by NDTV.
This move by the government is aimed at generating employment opportunities and giving a boost to economic growth.
As per the NDTV report, the government order said, "All employers shall not require or allow any person employed to work therein for more than eight hours in any day and forty-eight hours in any week’’.
It also said that the any employee should not be made to work beyond a period of ten hours including overtime.
It further added that all employees are entitled to at least one week-off. An overtime allowance has to be paid to an employee who works beyond eight hours a day.
In normal circumstances, women employees should not be made to work beyond 8 pm as per the new rules of the Labour Department.
As per the notification, an employer can ask a woman employee to work between 8 pm and 6 am only after she has given a written consent to it, subject to providing adequate protection to her dignity, honour, and safety, as reported by The Hindu.
Employers who violate the directives relating to shift timings will face action, the government said.
As reported by The Hindu, transport facilities should be provided for women employees who work in shifts. Other basic amenities such as restrooms, washrooms, safety lockers should be provided to women.
An organisation which has women employees should constitute internal complaints committee against sexual harassment of women under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
As per the Karnataka Shops and Establishments Act and Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Rules, penal action shall be initiated against the employer/manager if an employee is found working on any holiday or after normal duty hours without proper indent of overtime, as reported by The Hindu.
This new system shall be applicable for the next three years.
(With inputs from NDTV, The Hindu)
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