Balancing 5-Day Workweeks: Can We Extend Work Hours with Alternate Saturdays Off?

I have one query related to 5 days working for the workman. If the company decided to give alternate Saturday off, then can we increase the workman's normal working hours for the remaining days. How much can we increase? Please provide your inputs.

A reading of Factories Act provisions regarding working hours will clear your doubts.

Your plan will not meet the legal test presently.

Thank you, Nahrao.

I have one doubt. Section 51 tells us that no adult worker shall be required or allowed to work in a factory for more than forty-eight hours in a week. Section 54 tells us that no worker shall be required or allowed to work in a factory for more than nine hours in a day. Does this mean that a worker can work up to 54 hours?

Please reply.

Thanks, Vineet

Working Hours for Adult Workers

An adult worker shall not be employed for more than 48 (forty-eight) hours in a week and not more than 9 (nine) hours in a day. A compulsory rest of at least half an hour (30 minutes) is required between each period of work, and such periods of work shall not exceed five hours. The total period of work, inclusive of the rest interval, cannot be more than 10.5 hours. The Chief Inspector may, by giving a reason in writing, increase the workday time up to twelve hours. According to the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the working day of a worker shall be arranged so that, inclusive of the interval of rest, it shall not exceed 12 hours on any day.

Dear HR colleague,

The provisions under the FWA provide for 8 hours of work per day or 48 hours of work per week, excluding a meal break of half an hour. Daily working hours up to 9 hours are allowed, including overtime work.

If you intend to work a 5-day week, you can work 9 hours daily and 45 hours weekly, which is less than the weekly limit of 48 hours. Unlike those working a 6-day week, 9 hours of work in your case will be considered normal, and one hour in excess of the 8-hour daily limit will not be treated as overtime.

You can set your daily work timings for up to 9 hours, excluding a half-hour meal break.

Regards,
Vinayak Nagarkar
HR Consultant

Hi Vineet,

Thank you, Vinayak Sir.

It means:

Week 1: Total Hours = 45 (5 Day working)
Week 2: Total Hours = 54 (6 Day Working)
Week 3: Total Hours = 45 (5 Day working)
Week 4: Total Hours = 54 (6 Day Working)

All the above are considered normal working hours.
Please confirm.

Thanks,
Vineet

Dear Vineet,

This is an absolutely wrong interpretation. Please go through the OT section as per F.A. As per your above explanation, the 1st and 3rd week are okay. But in the 2nd and 4th week, 54-48=6 hours will be considered as overtime.

Thanks & Regards,
S.K. Bandyopadhyay (West Bengal)

USD HR Solutions
Email: skb@usdhrs.in