The Andhra Pradesh Government has recently notified the amendments to the Shops and Establishments Act allowing employees working in shops and establishments to work beyond the normal working hours by receiving overtime wages.
Now, employers may require / allow employees in shops and establishments to work for any period in excess of the fixed 8 hours of work in any day and 48 hours in any week by paying overtime wages once the conditions given below are fulfilled:
(i) The total number of hours of work, including over time should not in any way exceed twelve hours a day.
(ii) The spread over, inclusive of intervals of rest, should not exceed thirteen hours a day.
(iii) The total number of hours of work in any week, including overtime, should not exceed sixty -two hours.
(iv) No employee will be allowed to work overtime, for more than seven days continuously at a stretch.
(v) The total number of hours of overtime work in any month should not in any way exceed fifty hours.
Women employees are now allowed to work during night shifts as well in establishments, subject to the employer providing adequate safety and security measures prescribed by the State Government. The safety measures should include the following:
- Provision of shelter, rest rooms, lunch rooms, night creches and ladies’ toilets;
- Adequate protection of their privacy, dignity, honour and safety, protection from sexual harassment;
- Employment of at least five women employees together in such nightshift; and
- Secured pick and drop facilities between factory premises and the doorstep of their residence.
This amendment is effective since 5th February, 2019.
Source: Andhra Pradesh Government
