New Labour Codes
India's Labour Law Transformation
The Government of India enacted four comprehensive Labour Codes to consolidate, simplify, and modernise India’s labour law framework. These Codes subsumed 29 Central Labour Acts into a single harmonised framework. All four Codes and their Central Rules came into force on 21 November 2025 (S.O. 5319(E)). State-specific Rules are being progressively notified — with Haryana, Maharashtra, and other industrial states having already notified their Rules in 2026.
Notified State Rules
Haryana Code on Wages Rules 2026 (Gazette 4 May 2026) | Maharashtra Code on Wages Rules 2026 (Gazette 28 April 2026) | Central Code on Wages Rules 2026 (8 May 2026)
Code on Wages, 2019
Consolidates:Â Payment of Wages Act 1936, Minimum Wages Act 1948, Payment of Bonus Act 1965, Equal Remuneration Act 1976
Key Provisions
Uniform definition of 'wages' across all industries
Floor wage concept — national minimum floor
Mode, time, and conditions of wage payment
50% wages rule — at least 50% of CTC must be 'wages'
Revised minimum wages mechanism
Overtime rate: 2x | Deductions: strictly limited
Industrial Relations Code, 2020
Consolidates:Â Trade Unions Act 1926, Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946, Industrial Disputes Act 1947
Key Provisions
Standing Orders: threshold 300 workers (was 100)
GRC (Grievance Redressal Committee): 20+ workers
Lay-off/retrenchment/closure: permission threshold 300 workers
Works Committee: 100+ workers
Fixed-Term Employment — statutory recognition with wage parity and pro-rata gratuity
Worker Re-skilling Fund: 15 days wages on retrenchment
Notified State Rules
Haryana IR Code Rules 2026 (Gazette 5 May 2026) | Maharashtra IR Code Rules 2026 (Gazette 28 April 2026) | Central IR Code Rules 2026 (8 May 2026)
Notified State Rules
Chhattisgarh OSH Rules (Notification No. F 10-21/2021/116) | Maharashtra OSH Draft Rules 2026 (May 2026) | Central OSH Rules 2026 (8 May 2026)
OSH&WC Code, 2020
Consolidates:Â Factories Act 1948, CLRA 1970, ISMW Act 1979, BOCW Act 1996, Mines Act 1952, Plantation Labour Act 1951, and 7 others (13 Acts total)
Key Provisions
Factory threshold doubled: 20 workers with power (was 10)
Appointment letter mandatory for every worker — Day 1
Safety Committee: 500+ workers | Safety Officer: 500+ workers
CF (Inspector-cum-Facilitator) — facilitation before prosecution
Single registration for all establishments
OSHMS (OSH Management System) — 100+ workers
Contractor licensing threshold: 50 workers (was 20) — 5-year validity
All-India contractor licence
Notified State Rules
Central Social Security Rules 2026 (8 May 2026) | Maharashtra Social Security Rules — draft | Haryana Social Security Rules 2026 (Gazette 7 May 2026)
Code on Social Security 2020
Consolidates:Â EPF&MP Act 1952, ESI Act 1948, Gratuity Act 1972, Maternity Benefit Act 1961, Employee Compensation Act 1923, and others
Key Provisions
Gig workers and platform workers: coverage extended
ESIC: coverage threshold ₹21,000/month | Contribution period principle
BOCW Welfare Cess: 1% of construction cost
Gratuity ceiling: ₹20 lakhs | FTE: pro-rata gratuity
Maternity: 26 weeks (first 2 children) | 12 weeks thereafter | Commissioning mothers
Uniform definition of 'wages' for social security computation