Overview
- The Labour Ministry gazetted comprehensive draft rules for the Codes on Wages, Industrial Relations, Social Security and Occupational Safety and invited public objections and suggestions, rationalising 29 existing laws and starting the formal consultation phase.
- The wage draft sets a central floor wage and makes minimum pay a statutory right for all employees, with a calculation method tied to a standard working-class family, 2,700-calorie norms and specified shares for housing, utilities and contingencies.
- The social security draft expands ESIC coverage nationally, formally recognises aggregators, gig and platform workers and provides for a Social Security Fund to extend life, disability, health and old‑age benefits beyond the organised sector.
- The industrial relations draft affirms parity of benefits for fixed‑term employees, requires employers to transfer 15 days’ wages per retrenched worker to a Workers Reskilling Fund within 10 days and gives retrenched workers preference for vacancies within one year.
- An official FAQ says existing rules continue where consistent until new rules are notified, clarifies a uniform wage definition with a 50% threshold for allowances and notes gratuity applicability from November 21, 2025.