Flexibility has been introduced to how production shifts can be managed in Karnataka, where work hours limits have been raised, subject to conditions. In February, the Karnataka legislature passed amendments to change the scope of how the Factories Act, 1948 applies to the state. Now, working hours can be extended to 12 hours in a day – capped at the 48-hour work week – and women can work night shifts, from 7pm to 6am. The maximum amount of overtime hours over a three-month period has also been extended.
The Karnataka state government says that these labor reforms will bring it closer to competitive manufacturing destinations like China, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
In a landmark move, industries in the southern state of Karnataka can now extend the working hours for labor by up to 12 hours a day but must cap the maximum weekly work hours to 48. Further, rules are being eased to allow night-time work for women.
These changes come after the state legislature passed the Factories (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2023 to liberalize how the Factories Act, 1948 applies to industries in Karnataka. It makes Karnataka’s working regime among the most flexible in India – hugely significant as it is a major manufacturing base in the country.
The amendments to Karnataka’s labor law are among a wish list of reforms sought by industry lobby groups and international firms like Apple and Foxconn. Foxconn, a major component supplier for Apple products, operates assembly plants in the...
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