India’s four-day work week is allowed under new Labour Codes, but weekly hours stay capped at 48 with overtime rules intact. Photo: freepik
The idea of a four-day work week in India is gaining traction once again. The issue came into focus after a clarification issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The answer, according to the Ministry, is yes, but only within the framework laid down under the new Labour Codes.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Labour and Employment said the new Labour Codes provide flexibility in how weekly working hours can be structured. However, this flexibility does not reduce the total number of hours an employee must work in a week.
Weekly working hours remain capped at 48, and all existing rules on wages and overtime continue to apply.
Clarifying the position, the Ministry stated, “The Labour Codes allow flexibility of 12 hours for 4 workdays only, with the remaining 3 days as paid holidays. Weekly work hours remain fixed at 48 hours and overtime beyond daily hours must be paid at double the wage rate.”
Under this arrangement, an employee may work up to 12 hours a day for four days and take the remaining three days as paid holidays. However, the total working time across the week cannot exceed 48 hours.
If an employee works beyond 12 hours in a single day, the additional time must be treated as overtime and compensated at twice the normal wage rate, as mandated by law.
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The Ministry also clarified that the 12-hour workday does not mean continuous work without breaks. The total period includes breaks and spread-over working hours.
This can cover lunch breaks, rest periods, or gaps between shifts, depending on the nature of the job and workplace requirements.
Despite the added flexibility, employers are not permitted to make employees work beyond 48 hours in a week. The provision is designed to give companies and workers more options in structuring work schedules while ensuring employees are protected from excessive and unpaid working hours.
The Labour Codes do not mandate a four-day work week. It is only an option that employers and employees can mutually agree upon.
Some organisations may continue with five- or six-day work schedules, while others may opt for four longer working days. The final decision will depend on company policies, state-level rules, and the nature of the work involved.
Certain sectors, particularly those requiring round-the-clock staffing, may find it difficult to implement a 12-hour workday model.
On November 21, 2025, the central government replaced 29 existing labour laws with four consolidated Labour Codes. These are:
Code on Wages, 2019
Industrial Relations Code, 2020
Social Security Code, 2020
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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