Page 43 - NIS English 16-31 December, 2025

Labour Codes | NATION

Code 4

Occupational Safety, Health and Working
Conditions of Service Code 2020

This Code has been formulated by incorporating, simplifying, and rationalizing relevant provisions of 13
central labour laws. It ensures worker rights and safe working conditions. This will promote economic
growth and employment. It will make India’s labour market more efficient, fair, and future-ready.

Unified Registration: A uniform threshold of 10
Key Issues employees has been set for electronic registration.

Extension to Hazardous Work: The government

can extend the provisions of this Code to any
establishment with even a single employee.
Simplified Compliance: A framework of one

licence, one registration, and one return has been
introduced for establishments.
Expanded Definition of Migrant Workers: The

definition of migrant workers now includes workers death, courts may direct at least 50% of the fine
who are employed directly, through contractors, or imposed to be paid as compensation to the victims
migrate on their own. or their legal heirs.
Health: Free annual health check-up for
Safety Committees: Establishments with 500 or
employees. more workers will form safety committees with
Appointment Letters: Appointment letters will employer-worker representation.

be issued, indicating wages and social security to Social Security Fund: A fund has been established
enhance transparency and accountability. for the welfare and benefit distribution of
Employment of Women: Women can work in all unorganized workers.

types of establishments and during night hours with
consent and safety measures. Labour reforms have ensured timely
Expanded definition of media worker: 'Working
wages, social security for all workers,
journalists' and 'cine workers' now include workers safe and respectful workplaces,
in all forms of electronic media and audio-visual
production. greater rights for gig and platform
workers, and the empowerment of
National Database for Unorganized Workers:
youth and women.
There will be a national database for unorganized
workers, including migrant workers. Dr Mansukh Mandaviya,
Compensation to Victims: In case of injury or Union Minister of Labour and Employment

complex and, in several parts, outdated provisions addresses this long-pending need to move beyond
spread across 29 Central labour laws. These re- colonial-era structures and align with modern
strictive frameworks struggled to keep pace with global trends. Together, these codes empower
changing economic realities and evolving forms of both workers and enterprises, building a workforce
employment, creating uncertainty and increasing that is protected, productive and aligned with the
the compliance burden for both workers and indus- evolving world of work — paving the way for a more
try. The implementation of the four Labour Codes resilient, competitive and self-reliant nation. n

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