New Delhi: If the new labour codes are implemented, there is a likelihood that employees in India may be able to enjoy a four-day work week from next year, as opposed to the current five-day work week.

Under these new codes, a number of aspects related to employment and work culture, in general, might change including the take-home salary of employees, working hours and the number of weekdays.

The four labour codes on wages, social security, industrial relations and occupation safety, health and working conditions are likely to be implemented by the next fiscal year as at least 13 States have pre-published draft rules on these laws, a senior official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

If the new labour codes are implemented, employees will have to work for 12 hours on those four days since the Labour Ministry has made it clear that even if the proposal comes through, the 48-hour weekly work requirement has to be met.

The labour codes also attain added significance in the light of the fact that once these are implemented, there would be a reduction in the take-home pay of employees. The firms, however, will have to bear a higher Provident Fund responsibility.

Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav, in a reply to the Rajya Sabha earlier this week, had said that the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code is the only code on which the least number of 13 States have pre-published the draft rules. The Centre has already finalised the rules under these codes and now States are required to frame regulations on their part as labour is a concurrent subject.