Telangana Allows 10-Hour Workdays for Commercial Workers
Hyderabad: The Telangana government has announced that employees working in commercial establishments (not including shops) can now work up to 10 hours a day, instead of the earlier 8 hours. However, the total working hours per week must still not exceed 48 hours.
This move is part of efforts to improve the Ease of Doing Business and brings Telangana in line with states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which have already adopted similar rules. Karnataka is also thinking about introducing a 10-hour daily work rule.
Key Points of the New Rule:
- Workers can choose to work up to 10 hours per day.
- Including breaks, no one can work more than 12 hours a day.
- After working 6 hours, workers must be given a 30-minute break.
- Overtime is allowed beyond 48 hours a week but is limited to 144 hours per quarter and must be paid extra.
- The government can cancel this rule at any time if it is not followed properly.
The change has been made under Section 73(4) of the Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988, which overrides the existing limits in Sections 16 and 17.
Principal Secretary M Dana Kishore said this step follows the Central Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy, and that similar rules are already in place in neighboring states.
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