Working overtime, whether in private or public sectors, can cause significant health problems such as increased risks of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, depression, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and other chronic conditions. Due to these serious health impacts, regulating laws around working hours and overtime is necessary to protect employee health and well-being.

Health Problems from Overtime Work Long working hours (55+ hours per week) are linked to a higher risk of stroke and ischemic heart disease, with a 35% increased risk of stroke reported by WHO studies.

Other health issues related to excessive overtime include hypertension, depression, anxiety, fatigue, poor sleep quality, immune system weakening, and increased risky behaviors such as alcohol use.

Mental health is also significantly affected, with symptoms of exhaustion, chronic fatigue, and depressive disorders increasing as overtime hours accumulate.

Physical conditions such as headaches, musculoskeletal problems, and irregular diet patterns have additionally been observed in workers who do long overtime.

Private vs Public Employees

The health risks are generally present for both public and private employees working long overtime hours. The nature of work and intensity might vary, but health consequences related to overwork are common across sectors.

Public sector jobs might have some specific labor protections or regulations, but excessive hours can still lead to adverse health outcomes.

Need for Regulation Regulatory frameworks like the Factories Act, Shops and Establishments Acts, Minimum Wages Act, and emerging labor codes set limits on working hours to typically 8-9 hours/day or 48 hours/week and mandate overtime pay at double wages to discourage excessive overtime work.

Enforcing such laws is crucial to ensure that workers are not forced into harmful long work hours that jeopardize their health.

Governments, employers, and workers need to cooperate to create and implement overtime regulations that define safe working hours, ensuring mandatory rest breaks and manageable workloads.

In summary, overtime work can substantially harm health regardless of the sector, making regulatory laws essential to safeguard worker health and prevent long-term health problems caused by excessive working hours .