Overtime Rules / Policies

Is it legal for a company / employer to compel any of it's employees to work overtime?
Also as per Labour laws of our country, what is the maximum number of hours that an employer can make an employee work per day/week?
Could somebody provide answers to the 2 questions above. I would also appreciate the appropriate references to the pertinent laws. Thank you.

dear
maximum an employee can be asked to work 2 hours per day or 12 hoursin week or 50hours in a quarter.As a job requirement employee can be complelled to work on overtime.Renumeration of overtime rate to be paid double of ordinary rates of wages.

Dear all
But how does this work with a Bank for example, where the Management Contracts are written in a way that implies that the employee has to work as much as it takes to complete his/her tasks.
Where can the employee legally draw a line (nights, weekends etc.)without fear to be not being able to complete his/her tasks?
Where is the limit of free time an employer has to make sure the employee is taking time off, is there a sort of responsibility on that end?
Many thanks
Judith

Under which act is the rule of 2 hours a day?
The 50 hour rule is not under any act but under factory rules in states.....at least it is in Maharashtra, tn, mp, Karnataka.
Is there similar rules in other states
Is there such a rule in shop and establishment act ?

Dear Zippy
Kindly refer The factories Act of your state it is at max 2 hours per day you should get exemption from inspector of factories and renew the OT permission for 3 months once.... this you can approach your inspector of factories directly in the mean while the rate of wages should be double kndly ensure this... Instead of OT you can prefer Shifts.....
Regards,
Ramkishore
Manager-HR

Please let me know which section of factory act says you can do max 2 hours of OT per day

Dear Mr.Saswatabanerjee,
The OT Exemption i am talking about i hope this does not come in any sec of factories act it is a permission given by Director of factories to conduct OT hours Legally if you get this permission you can do OT for 2 hours a day nor what ever you are doing for even half an hour would be illegal....
Regards,
Ramkishore

Hi
the question of exemption comes into the picture if there is a rule or law that says you can not do overtime. If there is no law prohibiting overtime, then there is no question of taking approval of director of factories.
so please tell me which section says that we need to take approval of director of factories to allow Overtime
As far as i know, employers are legally allowed to ask workers to do over time without taking permission of any person, subject to certain norms. Currently the norms most states follow is of 50 hours in a quarter. But even doing a double shift, (8 hours of OT) is allowed under factories act, without taking anyones permission. The requirement of permission will only apply once the limit specified in factories rules in the state is exceeded

Dear Sandip,
The Overtime rate for national/ festival holiday is same as per payment of ovetime under factory act. i.e twice the rate of earned wage.
thanks & regards,
from,
sumit kumar saxena

Dear All
As per act OT should be 2 hrs for a day, weekly 12 hrs , for 3 months not more than 50 hrs and calculations for OT need to be on Gross only as per act, also ESIC will get deduct on overtime