Maths - Com. P.Suresh

 One Day, One Minute, One Rule – 133.
Consolidation of Guidelines on Overtime Allowance (OTA) and Compensatory Off

133. According to Office Memorandum No. 15011/2/E.II(B)/76 dated 11th August, 1976 (as consolidated and clarified by subsequent orders), what are the fundamental principles and procedural requirements for the grant of Overtime Allowance and Compensatory Off to Central Government employees?

The issue was clarified by DOPT OM No.A-27016/03/2017-Estt.(AL)dated 19th June, 2018. The Department of Expenditure established that work in all government offices should be organized to be completed within normal working hours through strict supervision. Overtime work is only permissible in special, urgent circumstances where the task cannot be postponed until the next working day in the public interest. In such instances, the competent authority must authorize the overtime in advance and specify the expected duration.

Regarding the method of compensation, the standard rule for duty performed on Sundays, weekly offs, or public holidays is the grant of compensatory leave. Cash compensation through Overtime Allowance for holiday work is only allowed in exceptional cases where a high-ranking officer (such as a Joint Secretary or Head of Department) certifies that granting leave is impossible. Normally, such compensatory leave must be granted within one month of it becoming due.

For the calculation of Overtime Allowance, a mandatory deduction of one hour of "free work" is applied for duty performed beyond the prescribed office hours on a working day. If an employee arrives late, the duration of their lateness is also deducted from the total overtime period. Furthermore, the total OTA payable to an employee in a single month is capped at one-third of their monthly emoluments, though personal staff may receive up to 50% in specific public interest cases.

To ensure transparency and accountability, every office is required to maintain a "Register of Overtime Work" in a prescribed format. This register must record the nature of the work, the reason it could not be finished during normal hours, and the specific authorization provided by the competent authority. These records are subject to periodic scrutiny by superior officers and audit inspections to prevent the undue grant of allowances.