The eight-hour day, the weekly limits, overtime at twice the rate of wages, and annual leave with wages.
Written from the official text · not reviewed by a lawyer · follows the Central Rules
Key points
No worker may be required or allowed to work more than eight hours in a day OSH s. 25(1)(a), and under the Central Rules no more than forty eight hours in a week rule 64(1).
No worker may work more than six days in any one week OSH s. 26(1).
Overtime is paid at twice the rate of wages, worked out on a daily or weekly basis, whichever is more favourable to the worker, and a worker works overtime only with their consent OSH s. 27.
Under the Central Rules, overtime begins after eight hours in a day for a daily wager, or after forty-eight hours in a week for other workers, and is paid at the end of each wage period rule 69(1).
A part hour of 15 to 30 minutes counts as thirty minutes, and more than thirty minutes counts as an hour rule 69(2); overtime may not exceed one hundred forty-four hours in any quarter of a year rule 69, proviso.
A worker who has worked one hundred and eighty days or more in a calendar year is entitled to annual leave with wages s. 32(1)(i), earned at one day for every twenty days of work s. 32(1)(ii).
Unused leave of up to thirty days carries forward to the next year s. 32(1)(vii)(a), and a worker may ask to encash leave at the end of the calendar year s. 32(1)(viii).
If you are an employer
Ask for the worker’s consent before overtime, and pay it at twice the rate of wages with the wages for that period OSH s. 27rule 69(1).
If you are a worker
Lay-off, maternity leave and annual leave taken in the year count towards the one hundred and eighty days, though no leave is earned for those periods s. 32(1)(iii).
Try it
A worker paid ₹26,000 a month works overtime of 60 minutes, 120 minutes and 20 minutes on different days.
The daily wage of a monthly-paid worker is 1/26th of the monthly wages, ₹1,000; over an eight-hour day that is ₹125 an hour, and overtime at twice the rate is ₹250 an hour. The 20 minutes count as thirty minutes, so 3.5 hours are paid: ₹875 rule 69(1)–(3).
a fraction of an hour between 15 to 30 minutes shall be counted as thirty minutes
A worker who has worked one hundred and eighty days or more in a calendar year is entitled to annual leave with wages s. 32(1)(i).
that he has worked one hundred and eighty days or more in such calendar year
The law's words: OSH Code, s. 32 — Annual leave with wages, etc
Show the answer
Answer: A day for every twenty days of work
Leave is earned at one day for every twenty days of work; adolescent workers and workers below ground in a mine earn it for every fifteen days s. 32(1)(ii).
that he shall be entitled for one-day leave for every twenty days of his work
The law's words: OSH Code, s. 32 — Annual leave with wages, etc
Show the answer
Answer: Up to thirty days
The leave carried forward to a succeeding year may not exceed thirty days s. 32(1)(vii)(a).
the total number of days of leave that may be carried forward to a succeeding year shall not exceed thirty days
The law's words: OSH Code, s. 32 — Annual leave with wages, etc
Go back over:
Go deeper
Guides
Working hours, overtime and weekly rest— Daily and weekly limits on working hours, overtime pay, weekly holidays and shifts under the OSH Code and the Code on Wages.
Annual leave with wages— Who earns paid annual leave, how much, carry-forward and encashment under the OSH Code, 2020.
The provisions this lesson rests on
OSH Code, s. 25 — Daily and weekly working hours, leave, etc
Official text reproduced from the Gazette of India, India Code and State Government sources. This is not legal advice; check the source PDF before relying on any provision.