Centre may allow 4-day work week but with longer hours

New Delhi, Feb 09: The central government is set to introduce new labour codes that would provide companies the flexibility of reducing the number of working days to four days a week.

The weekly 48-hour work limit will stay but employers will be able to deploy people on four, 12-hour workdays per week; or five, around 10-hour days; or six, eight-hour days, labour secretary Apurva Chandra told reporters on Monday.

Working days could come down below five. If it is four, then you have to provide three paid holidays...so if it has to be a seven day week, then it has to be divided into 4 or 5 or 6 working days.

Once the new rules are implemented, employers will no longer be required to seek government permission to shift to a four- or a five-day working week if their employees approve the arrangement.

With the provision, employers will have the freedom to choose to have 8 to 12 hours workdays, based on demand, industry and location.