The Goa Legislature Secretariat has issued the Factories (Goa Amendment) Bill, 2019 (“Bill”) to further amend the Factories Act, 1948 (“Principal Act”).
Previously, the Bill was introduced in the Legislative Assembly of Goa on 30th July 2019. The Bill has now been published in the official gazette.
Key Highlights of the Amendment:
- The Bill proposes to increase the weekly hours of work from sixty to seventy-two hours (including overtime) for the adult male workers, working in such a factory or group or class or description of factories for which the Chief Inspector might have issued an exemption order from the provisions of Sections 51 (weekly hours), 52 (weekly holidays), 54 (Daily hours) and 56 (spread over) on the ground that the exemption is required to enable the factories to deal with exceptional press of work.
- The Bill proposes to restrict the overtime hours in a manner that it does not extend beyond seven days at a stretch and the total hours of overtime in a quarter should not be more than one hundred and twenty five (including overtime) for the adult male workers, working in such a factory or group or class or description of factories for which the Chief Inspector might have issued an exemption order from the provisions of Sections 51 (weekly hours), 52 (weekly holidays), 54 (Daily hours) and 56 (spread over) on the ground that the exemption is required to enable the factories to deal with exceptional press of work.
- Previously no woman worker was allowed to work between the hours of 10pm and 5am. Now, the pursuant to the draft amendment, it has been proposed that women employees can be employed between the hours of 7pm and 6am. Moreover, the Government will also specify the conditions for ensuring safety of such women workers by another notification.
Source: Government of Goa
