Rajasthan Caps Work Week At 48 Hours

The Rajasthan government has implemented the Code on Wages (Rajasthan) Rules to determine minimum wages and standardize working hours.

The new rules provide a scientific formula to calculate minimum wages, which will be linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and revised twice a year.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Jogaram Patel, stated that the rules aim to safeguard workers' interests and welfare while ensuring the orderly functioning of commercial and industrial establishments.

The rules prescribe a maximum of 48 working hours per week, with a six-day work week not exceeding 10.5 hours per day, including rest intervals. The seventh day will be a paid weekly holiday.

Employees will be entitled to a 30-minute rest break after every five consecutive hours of work. Those required to work on weekly holidays will be paid overtime wages.

Employers will be required to issue wage slips, and the rules specify permissible statutory deductions from wages. Digital registers will also be maintained.

In addition to the wage rules, the state cabinet has cleared the Rajasthan Industrial Relations Rules, which aim to simplify and modernize the state's labor administration framework.

All labor compliance procedures and dispute-related grievances will be shifted online, with defined timelines for resolving industrial disputes. The election of negotiating trade unions will be conducted through a secret ballot system.

The rules provide guidelines for Works Committees and workplace grievance redressal mechanisms. Legal procedures for retrenchment and closure of industrial establishments have been simplified.

The implementation of these rules is expected to improve the working conditions and welfare of workers in Rajasthan.

The move is seen as a significant step towards protecting workers' rights and promoting a healthy work-life balance.

With the new rules in place, Rajasthan is likely to become a more attractive destination for workers and businesses alike.