How Should We Compensate Security Guards for 12-Hour Shifts Beyond Minimum Wage?

The security personnel working in an organization are made to work for 12 hours to suit our operations instead of 8 hours. Now, the wages prescribed in the minimum wages gazette are for one month. What would be the additional wages to be paid to these security guards for the additional hours of work?

Please leave your views and advice on the above.

Work out per hour rates and pay them overtime for 4 hours.

Dear Satya,

Certainly, it is not possible to require such employees to work overtime to the extent of 4 hours every day under any labor law. Depending on the type of industrial establishments, there are daily/quarterly limitations on the number of hours of overtime (O.T.). Therefore, it is better to revise the manpower and reschedule the spread of the working hours of the security personnel accordingly without giving room for statutory violations.

Ground reality is that security guards are doing 12-hour shifts as it is convenient for more than one reason. An 8-hour shift means a change of guard at odd times and less pay.

Col. Suresh Rathi