Six states extend working shifts for labourers to 72-hour per week post-lockdown

As India enters the third phase of nation-wide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic, millions of workers face a return to longer working hours. At least six states have passed laws extending working hours from the currently mandated 8 hours per day to 12 hours per day. The amendment will allow companies to extend a factory worker’s daily shift to 12 hours per day, six days a week (72 hours) from the existing eight hours per day, six days a week (48 hours).