Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has issued an order standardising the working hours of employees, including nurses, in private hospitals across the state, aligning them with government hospital shift systems.

The Labour Department directive mandates a 6-6-12 hour shift system for all staff, irrespective of the number of beds in a hospital. Employees working beyond their shift hours are entitled to overtime pay, applicable for up to 208 hours per month.

Previously, the shift system applied only to private hospitals with more than 100 beds, with 6-hour day shifts and 12-hour night shifts. Under the new order, the system will now be implemented in all private hospitals, ensuring uniformity across healthcare facilities.

The 2021 order was extended to all private hospitals following recommendations from the V Veerakumar Committee, formed in November 2012 after a nurses’ strike. The committee, chaired by former Joint Labour Commissioner V Veerakumar, advised on reforms to improve working conditions and standardise hospital duty hours.

IANS