Factories Act amended, new rule to be in force till August 21
BENGALURU:
The Covid-19 crisis seems to have come as a perfect opportunity to oblige employers and exploit employees. On Friday, the Karnataka government issued a notification allowing factories to extend working hours up to 10 hours a day and 60 hours a week till August 21. The current rules mandate no more than 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week.
The notification reads: “In exercise of powers conferred under Section 5 of Factories Act, 1948 (Act No.63 of 1948), the Government of Karnataka is pleased to order that all the factories registered under Factories Act, 1948 shall be exempted from the provisions of Section 51 (weekly hours) and Section 54 (daily hours), with effect from 22-05-2020 to 21-8-2020.”
As a fig leaf of sorts, the nofification stipulates that “no adult worker shall be allowed or required to work in a factory for more than 10 hours in any day and 60 hours in any week.”
It adds that the “provisions of Section 59 regarding overtime wages shall continue to be applicable without any change.”
