New Delhi, Aug. 11 -- The new wage code may have introduced a two-times overtime benchmark, but Central government employees should not assume that working beyond regular hours will automatically result in double-rate payment.

The issue came up in the Lok Sabha on 5 August 2026, when the government was asked whether overtime allowance (OTA) for Central government employees had been revised after the implementation of the Code on Wages, 2019. The government was also asked whether overtime benefits could be extended to gazetted employees.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said OTA for eligible non-gazetted Central government employees continues to be governed by recommendations of the respective Pay Commissions and applicabl...