The Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill currently before Parliament includes a proposal for a four-day working week, allowing employers and employees to agree on redistributing 45 weekly working hours over four days.
This measure is expected to provide greater flexibility in work schedules and address the challenges faced by employees with family obligations.
The agreement can be made for a specific week at the request of the employer with a 48-hour notice or at the request of the worker. When the worker requests it, the bill proposes to obligate the employer to grant it, subject to operational needs.
However, unlike many countries that piloted and tested a four-day working week before implementation, the national budget for 2023/2024 has announced a four-day working week without prior experimentation.
Especially, since reluctance to embrace flexible working arrangements, such as remote work, a hybrid model, or flexitime, has been observed across various industries in Mauritius.
Business Mauritius has said it supports the proposal, stating that it can lead to better work organisation, family time, and rest for employees, while aiding businesses in operational planning, efficiency, and productivity.
However, the COO of Business Mauritius, Pradeep Dursun, said it will be important to define the legal framework and expects enthusiasm for this type of practice, building on existing progress in implementing flexible work hours.
However, while the Association of HR Professionals, welcomes the idea, it expressed concerns on the interdependence of business firms and certain departments could be affected in case of poor coordination.
For trade unionist Jane Ragoo, it is important to ensure that the four-day week does not impact salaries.
Source: Defi Media
