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The Telangana government has allowed commercial establishments to increase employees’ daily work hours from the existing eight to 10 hours, under its Ease of Doing Business reforms. A government order (GO) issued by the Department of Labour, Employment, Training & Factories on Saturday, July 5, exempts all commercial establishments (other than shops) from sections 16 and 17 of the Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988.
Section 16 sets an upper limit of eight hours on daily work hours, and 48 hours on weekly work hours. Beyond this, it allows maximum overtime of six hours a week. Section 17 says that employees can’t work for more than five hours at a stretch without a one-hour break.
The Act defines commercial establishments to include businesses related to factories or industries, but does not include shops.
The order, signed by Principal Secretary M Dana Kishore, allows daily working hours of 10 hours with a weekly limit of 48 hours.
For any work beyond 48 hours a week, overtime wages will apply, with a quarterly limit of 144 hours.
The work period without break is extended from five to six hours in a day.
“The periods of work of an employee in an establishment shall be so arranged that, along with his/her interval for rest, they shall not spread over for more than twelve hours on any day,” the order said.
Earlier in June, the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet approved the Andhra Pradesh Factories Amendment Bill, 2025, which would allow women to work night shifts after 7 pm and before 6 am. The proposed law also brings in various other amendments to the Factories Act, 1948, including raising the maximum permissible daily work hours from nine to 10 hours.
