Are Our 50.5-Hour Workweeks at the Oil Refinery Legal Under Labor Laws?

I am working in an Oil Refinery. All employees are working 6 days (from Monday to Saturday), and the working hours for the first 5 days are 08:30 AM to 06:00 PM (including a 1-hour lunch break). On Saturday, working hours are from 08:30 AM to 11:00 AM.

Therefore, we are working a total of 50.5 hours in a week. Is this correct as per the Factory Act or any other Labour Laws?

It is normally against the Factories Act unless exempted under the Act.

Regards,
Varghese Mathew

Your working hours are only 45 in a week (8.5 x 5 + 2.5). The lunch interval is not included in working hours. The spread over (including the lunch interval) is also as per Section 56 of the Factories Act, which provides for 10.5 hours.

Regards,
KK

Working hours exclude the lunch interval, so there is no question of violation.

You have a good practice. That practice is not against the Factories Act. As per the Factories Act, a worker should work for 48 hours in any week, and your total working hours in a week are only 45 hours, so it's not a violation of the Act.

As per the Factories Act, weekly hours for six days in any factory should not exceed 48 hours. In your case, it is 45 hours (8.5 * 5 working hours + 2.5). So, it is a fair practice.

The attached material may provide some clarity on the issue of working hours and overtime (OT).

OK. There is no deviation as per the Factories Act. Go ahead.

Regards,
V K Rao

I am working in a construction company. There are 6 days of work (Monday to Saturday) from 10 AM to 7 PM with a 30-minute lunch break. Is it fair?