What is the maximum number of working hours allowed in Telangana?

Under the Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988, working hours are capped at 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week. While employers can ask you to work up to 10 hours a day, the 48-hour weekly cap still applies.

Are IT/ITES employees in Telangana exempt from overtime pay?

No. The IT exemption (extended to May 2028) does not erase the 48-hour weekly limit or the double overtime requirement. Any time worked beyond 48 hours a week must be paid at double your normal hourly rate.

What is the overtime pay rate in Telangana?

For every hour worked beyond 48 in a week (or 8 hours a day), your employer must legally pay you double (2x) your normal hourly rate. This is non-negotiable under Section 37 of the Act.

What is the maximum number of working hours allowed in Telangana?

Under the Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988, working hours are capped at 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week. While employers can ask you to work up to 10 hours a day, the 48-hour weekly cap still applies.

Are IT/ITES employees in Telangana exempt from overtime pay?

No. The IT exemption (extended to May 2028) does not erase the 48-hour weekly limit or the double overtime requirement. Any time worked beyond 48 hours a week must be paid at double your normal hourly rate.

What is the overtime pay rate in Telangana?

For every hour worked beyond 48 in a week (or 8 hours a day), your employer must legally pay you double (2x) your normal hourly rate. This is non-negotiable under Section 37 of the Act.

Telangana Hours (2026): 8/48 Limits, IT Exemption & Overtime

Researched by Ahmed R. J. Alsaedi, Founder & Head Researcher

Primary sources cited; not legal advice.

Source: Code on Wages, 2019, ss. 13–14 (normal working day + overtime at not less than twice the ordinary rate) — enforceable 21 November 2025; OSH Code, 2020, Chapter VII (9-hour daily / 48-hour weekly caps, 125-hour quarterly OT cap) — enforceable 21 November 2025; Factories Act, 1948, ss. 51-66 (transitional operation in factories pending full OSH Code state rules); State Shops and Establishments Acts (for shops and commercial establishments)

About this article

Sourced from Indian central (Union) law — Constitution of India, central Acts of Parliament, and Supreme Court decisions. State-level information reflects each state's own Acts and High Court rulings. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards

Indian Central Law

What is this right?

Metric: 9 hours
Metric: 48 hours
Metric: Code 2020 Chapter VII

The headline numbers depend on where you work. Factory workers are capped at 9 hours a day, 48 hours a week under the OSH Code 2020 Chapter VII (enforceable 21 November 2025), with a quarterly overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. cap of 125 hours — up from 75 hours under the old Factories Act 1948. Daily-wage employees in the central sphere are capped at 8 hours a day, 48 hours a week under Rule 5(1) of the Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 343(E), 8 May 2026). Both regimes set overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. at not less than twice the ordinary rate — the Code on Wages Section 14 extends this double-rate standard to every sector, not just factories.

Factories (s. 51, 54, Factories Act): No more than 9 hours a day and 48 hours a week. The total spread-over from clock-in to clock-out cannot cross 10.5 hours without permission — that hour-and-a-half buffer is meant for legitimate breaks, not unpaid waiting time.
OvertimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. (s. 59, Factories Act; s. 14, Code on Wages): Anything past 9/day or 48/week is paid at twice the ordinary wage rate. There is no "flat rate" or "production bonus" that legally substitutes for this.
Rest intervals (s. 55): No more than 5 continuous hours without a half-hour break.
Weekly holiday (s. 52): One full day off every week. Not negotiable.
Shops and offices sit under the state Shops and Establishments Act — Maharashtra has its own, Karnataka has its own, and so on. The numbers are similar (typically 8–9 hours/day, 48 hours/week, one weekly off), but the inspector and the registers differ.

The most common dodge is to call something a "production incentive" or to record official hours that end at 6 pm while everyone is actually still at the line at 9. None of that overrides the statute. OvertimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. is a rate, not a favour.

When does it apply?

You work in a factory as defined under the Factories Act — 10 or more workers if power is used, 20 or more without power.
You work in a shop, office or commercial establishment covered by your state's Shops and Establishments Act.
You are being asked to work past the prescribed daily or weekly cap.

What to Do If Your Employer in India Denies Overtime Pay

The single most useful thing you can do is keep your own log. Inspectors and labour courts decide overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. cases on records, and if the only record is the employer's, the employer wins.

Maintain a personal log of your in-time and out-time every day. A phone photo of the punch board or the attendance register works as evidence.
The employer is legally required to maintain a register of working hours (Form 12 under the Factories Rules). You can ask to inspect it — refusal is itself a violation.
If overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. is missing or paid at the wrong rate, file a written complaint with the Inspector of Factories (factory workers) or the Labour Inspector / Inspector-cum-Facilitator under the Code on Wages.
Money claims for unpaid overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. go to the Authority under the Code on Wages — and you have three years to file.

What should you NOT do?

Do not sign anything waiving overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules.. Such clauses are void against the statute, but it is far easier to refuse the signature than to fight the document later.
Do not work more than 75 hours of overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. per quarter (s. 64, Factories Act) without specific government permission — that is the statutory cap, and crossing it puts both you and the employer in violation.
Do not believe the line that "your salary package includes all overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules.." It does not. OvertimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. must be calculated and paid separately at twice the ordinary rate.

Telangana Law

Choose your state

How Telangana differs from central law

Metric: 1988
Metric: Act No
Metric: 20

If you are being forced to work grueling hours without fair pay in Telangana, the law is firmly on your side. The Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988 clearly dictates your right to fair hours and double pay for overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules.. Your employer cannot contract out of these terms, even with an employment agreement.

Daily and weekly limits (§§9, 16): You can only be required to work 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week. OvertimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. is strictly capped at 6 hours a week.
Mandatory breaks (§§10, 11, 17, 18): You are legally entitled to at least a 1-hour break after 5 continuous hours of work. Total hours at the workplace, including breaks, cannot exceed 12 hours a day.
Guaranteed days off (§§12, 19, 31): You must receive one full paid weekly holiday. Additionally, the law guarantees nine statutory paid holidays each year, including Telangana Formation Day (2 June).
OvertimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. means double pay (§37): For every hour beyond 48 in a week (or 8/day), your employer must pay you double your normal hourly rate. This is non-negotiable. The Factories Act applies the same 2× rate for factory workers.
Women and young workers (§§20-23): Strict restrictions apply. Women cannot be forced to work night shifts without stringent safety measures, including dedicated transport, CCTV, and female-only drop-offs.
IT/ITES employees are NOT fully exempt: Don't let tech employers fool you. The IT exemption (extended to May 2028) does not erase the 48-hour limit or the double overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. requirement. You are still entitled to overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. pay.
10-hour day exemption: Employers can ask you to work up to 10 hours a day, but the 48-hour weekly cap still applies. Any hour beyond 48 is overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. at 2× pay. If they push you past 144 overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. hours in a quarter, they lose this exemption entirely.
Managerial exclusions (§73): Genuine managerial roles with true authority are exempt, but employers often misclassify workers to dodge paying overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules.. If you don't have real control over operations, you likely qualify.
Act fast on wage claims: You have only 12 months to file a claim for unpaid wages, though courts may condone a delay for a good reason. Successful claims can yield up to 10× the stolen amount in compensation.

Worked example: If you work a 60-hour week in a Hyderabad back-office, the extra 12 hours are overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules.. At a standard ₹200/hour rate, your overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. rate is ₹400/hour. You are legally owed ₹4,800 in overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules. pay per week on top of your normal salary.

Additional Steps in Telangana

Immediate Actions to Take:

File a formal, written complaint with the Labour Inspector under §57 of the Telangana S&E Act, or route it through the Assistant Commissioner of Labour. They have the power to inspect records and prosecute.
Log your grievance online at labour.telangana.gov.in immediately. If your employer falls under central jurisdiction, use registration.shramsuvidha.gov.in.
Submit a wage claim under the Payment of Wages Act §15(2). Gather every piece of evidence you have: swipe logs, emails, timesheets, and pay slips to prove your hours.

What to Avoid:

Never assume your IT/ITES job means you don't get overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules.. The 48-hour cap and 2× pay rules apply to you.
Do not sign away your rights. Contracts with "fixed CTC" or "no overtimeUnder the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. State laws can require more generous overtime rules." clauses are illegal and unenforceable under §37.
Do not accept 60-hour workweeks as standard. The 10-hour daily exemption explicitly caps weekly hours at 48.

Take Action Now: Generate a formal legal letter to enforce your rights using our Legal Letter Generator.

Relevant Law: Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988, §§9, 16, 10, 17, 11, 18, 31, 37, 73; Factories Act, 1948, §§51, 54, 55, 59, 64; G.O.Rt.No. 282 of 2025; G.O.Ms.No. 5 of 2024 (IT/ITES exemption); Code on Wages, 2019

Common Questions

What are the legal working hours in India?

Under the Factories Act and the upcoming OSH Code 2020, standard working hours are capped at 9 hours per day and 48 hours per week. Most state Shops and Establishments Acts (like the Gujarat Shops Act or Maharashtra Shops Act) also mandate similar 8 to 9-hour daily and 48-hour weekly limits.

How is overtime calculated in India?

Overtime must be paid at twice (2x) the ordinary wage rate for any hours worked beyond 9 hours a day or 48 hours a week. This double-rate standard applies universally under the Code on Wages 2019.

What is the working hours and overtime right in India?

Metric: 9 hoursMetric: 48 hoursMetric: Code 2020 Chapter VIIThe headline numbers depend on where you work. Factory workers are capped at 9 hours a day, 48 hours a week under the OSH Code 2020 Chapter VII (enforceable 21 November 2025), with a quarterly overtime cap of 125 hours — up from 75 hours under the old Factories Act 1948. Daily-wage employees in the central sphere are capped at 8 hours a day, 48 hours a week under Rule 5(1) of the Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 343(E), 8 May 2026). Both regimes set overtime at not less than twice the ordinary rate — the Code on Wages Secti...

When does working hours and overtime apply?

You work in a factory as defined under the Factories Act — 10 or more workers if power is used, 20 or more without power.You work in a shop, office or commercial establishment covered by your state's Shops and Establishments Act.You are being asked to work past the prescribed daily or weekly cap.

What should I do if my employer in India is not paying me for overtime?

The single most useful thing you can do is keep your own log. Inspectors and labour courts decide overtime cases on records, and if the only record is the employer's, the employer wins.Maintain a personal log of your in-time and out-time every day. A phone photo of the punch board or the attendance register works as evidence.The employer is legally required to maintain a register of working hours (Form 12 under the Factories Rules). You can ask to inspect it — refusal is itself a violation.If overtime is missing or paid at the wrong rate, file a written complaint with the Inspector of Factorie...

What mistakes should I avoid with working hours and overtime?

Do not sign anything waiving overtime. Such clauses are void against the statute, but it is far easier to refuse the signature than to fight the document later.Do not work more than 75 hours of overtime per quarter (s. 64, Factories Act) without specific government permission — that is the statutory cap, and crossing it puts both you and the employer in violation.Do not believe the line that "your salary package includes all overtime." It does not. Overtime must be calculated and paid separately at twice the ordinary rate.

Working Hours and Overtime in other states

Same topic, different jurisdiction. Pick the one that applies to you.

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Every reference below links to its primary source — the statute book, regulator, or court — and carries a verification date. See our citation methodology for how this works.

Telangana

India

StatuteFactories Act, 1948 (Act No. 63 of 1948), ss. 51, 54, 59
Caps factory hours at 9/day and 48/week; s. 59 requires double-rate overtime. Verified to current India Code handle (was incorrectly pointing to /2389 which is the Light House Act 1927).
StatuteCode on Wages, 2019, s. 14
Statutory overtime rate is twice the ordinary wage.
StatuteOccupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (Act No. 37 of 2020)
Chapter IV restates daily/weekly hour limits, rest intervals and overtime rules across establishments. Verified to current India Code handle (was incorrectly pointing to /15407 which is the IPC).
Agency guidanceMinistry of Labour & Employment — Labour Codes
Tracks state-level notification status of the four labour codes.