Plea to formulate uniform policy guaranteeing mandatory two-day weekly off for public, private sector workers
The Madras High Court has requested a response from the State government regarding a petition for a mandatory two-day weekly off for all workers. The petitioner argues that a six-day work week negatively impacts the health and fundamental rights of employees.
Why it matters
The case addresses the growing debate over work-life balance and labor rights in India's evolving industrial and corporate landscape.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday sought response from the State government to a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to the government to formulate and enforce a uniform policy guaranteeing a mandatory two-day weekly off for all categories of public and private sector workers across the State.
A Division Bench of Justices C.V. Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel was hearing the petition filed by S. Bhaskar of Batlagundu in Dindigul district. The petitioner said forcing lakhs of employees in the public and the private sector to work six days a week affected their fundamental rights and health.
He said government employees enjoyed a structured five-day work week with a mandatory two-day weekly off. In contrast, lakhs of employees in the private sector were forced to work six days a week often exceeding 10 to 12 hours daily causing severe physical and mental burnout.
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