She Can Work All Night: Women, night shifts and the new labour rules

Odisha has amended its Shops and Commercial Establishments law to allow women to work between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. in shops, restaurants and other commercial establishments ~ but only with written consent and a bundle of safety conditions.

- ‘TDG NETWORK

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It is one of several states rewriting rules on women's night work just as India’s new labour codes take effect.

The Odisha amendment lays out, on paper, what a “safe” night shift should look like. Employers must provide secure transport for women working late, maintain CCTV surveillance, ensure well-lit premises and access routes, and comply fully with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, including Internal Complaints Committees. There are caps on working hours - typically no more than 10 hours a day and 48 hours a week, with paid overtime - and requirements that a minimum number of women be on duty so no one is left alone on a deserted floor.