Enabling a modern and future-ready labour ecosystem, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The Four Labour Codes were enacted by the Government of India on November 21, 2025, modernizing India's labor ecosystem.
• These codes include the Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020.
• India's workforce is one of the largest and youngest globally, with over 643 million workers.
• The Social Security Code extends coverage to the unorganized sector, including gig and platform workers, expected to reach 2.35 crore by 2029-30.

Detailed Insights:

• India's labor framework has evolved over decades, necessitating simplification and consolidation through these codes.
• The codes aim to provide stronger worker protections, including universal minimum wages, timely payments, and clear working hour rules.
• The OSH Code emphasizes workplace safety through safety committees, health check-ups, and improved standards.
• Compliance requirements are simplified with single registration, license, and return, reducing administrative burdens for MSMEs.
• The codes promote formalization, encouraging enterprises to enter the formal economy and extend protections.
• The codes enhance women's participation by reinforcing equal remuneration, maternity benefits, and safe night work conditions.
• State alignment with the codes' principles is crucial for uniformity and clarity across the country.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Labour Codes: Comprehensive laws regulating employment, wages, industrial relations, social security, and workplace safety.
• Gig and Platform Workers: Individuals engaged in work arrangements facilitated by digital platforms, often with flexible terms.
• Formalization: The process of transitioning economic activities from the informal sector to the formal, regulated sector.