Is It Legal to Work 10 Hours a Day in Punjab's Auto Industry? What Should We Do?

I am working at an automobile manufacturing company in Punjab. In our company, the staff's working hours are 10 hours per day (i.e., 9:00 to 7:00). Is it legal to work for 10 hours in a day? If not, what should we do?

Thank you.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Dear Naresh,

Legal Working Hours in Factories

Subject to the provisions of Section 51, no adult worker shall be required or allowed to work in a factory for more than nine hours in any day. However, the appropriate government may make rules in respect of adult workers in factories, providing for exemptions to such extent and subject to conditions as may be prescribed, for workers engaged in urgent repairs, from the provisions of Sections 51, 52, 54, 55, and 56.

If workers are engaged in any work that, for technical reasons, must be carried out continuously, they may be exempted from the provisions of Sections 51, 52, 54, 55, and 56 of the Factories Act, 1948.

Regards,
Shivakumar.KM

Your query is incomplete as you have not mentioned the rest intervals, only the total spread over. I would like to draw your attention to Section 56 of the Factories Act, which stipulates that the period of work for an adult worker in a factory should be arranged in such a way that, inclusive of rest intervals under Section 55, it does not exceed ten and a half hours in any day.

Are you working in a factory or in an office that is separate from the factory? The Factories Act would apply if you are in the factory. As pointed out by Shri Korgaonkar and Shiv Kumar, this appears excessive. However, if it is an office establishment, the provisions of the Punjab Shop & Establishment Act have to be examined. Please provide more details to clearly state the legal provisions.

Regards,
KK