Do employees really need to work 12 hours a day under New Labour Code? Here’s the truth
The labor law reforms, which came into force on November 21, 2025, consolidated 29 existing labor laws into four comprehensive laws to simplify labor regulations and improve workplace management.
A video is circulating on social media claiming that according to the New Labor Law, employees will have to work 12 hours a day and a total of 72 hours a week. The Press Information Office rejected the claims, calling them ‘misleading’.
The nodal agency clarified that “under the recently implemented labor law, normal working hours are limited to 8-12 hours per day and 48 hours per week. Flexibility of 12-hour working days is allowed for up to 4 days per week and the remaining three days are treated as paid holidays.” “12-hour shift including spacing/spread. Overtime will be allowed only with the consent of the employee. Additionally, employers must pay all employees overtime wages of at least twice the regular rate for any work performed outside normal working hours,” it said in X.
Fact check: Will employees be required to work 12 hours a day?
Under the new labor laws, the government will provide information to every employee including the employee’s details, title, category, salary details, social security details, etc. He said that appointment letters will be issued in the prescribed format. Workers employed at a workplace are entitled to paid leave in that calendar year after working 180 days or more in that calendar year; Previously, workers had to work 240 days to be eligible for paid leave. “Reducing eligibility from 240 days to 180 days, along with flexibility in working hours, ensures adequate rest and recovery, improving productivity and job satisfaction,” the central government said in a statement. The statement was included.
Under the new framework, all workers will be entitled to the minimum wage, salary credit until the 7th of each month, double pay for overtime and a mandatory appointment letter. Workers will also benefit from free annual medical examinations and Fixed Term Employees will be eligible for bonuses after one year of continuous service. Female workers receive expanded rights, including equal pay, consensual night shift work with increased safety measures, 26 weeks of paid maternity leave, and broader opportunities in manufacturing, mining, services and IT.
New labor law
The labor law reforms, which came into force on November 21, 2025, consolidated 29 existing labor laws into four comprehensive laws to simplify labor regulations and improve workplace management. These four laws include the Wages Act, 2019; Social Security Law, 2020; Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Law, 2020; and Industrial Relations Act, 2020.
In a major shift, gig and platform workers such as delivery partners, ride-hailing drivers and other app-based workers are being legally recognized for the first time. Aggregator platforms will contribute up to 5 percent to the Social Security Fund, making insurance, accident compensation and other benefits portable across states.
(With input from institutions)
