Labour Law

Final Central Rules under the four labour codes shift India's labour reforms from policy to implementation, putting immediate compliance focus on employers

India is a founding member of the ILO and has been a permanent member of its Governing Body since 1922. Over time, we have ratified 47 ILO conventions and one protocol, 39 of which are still in force

May Day 2026: The world marks May 1 as International Labour Day. It celebrates the contributions of the working class and serves as a platform to educate workers and labourers about their rights

Rising living expenses, fear of contract hiring cast shadow on real gains

Unemployment rate rose to a five-month high in March as labour force participation and worker population ratio declined across both rural and urban areas

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to amend certain provisions in different laws for decriminalising and rationalising minor offences to further promote ease of doing business and living. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, was passed with a voice vote. The bill proposes to amend 784 provisions of 79 Central Acts administered by 23 ministries. It seeks to decriminalise 717 provisions and amend 67 provisions to facilitate ease of living. It also seeks to rationalise more than 1,000 offences, removing outdated and redundant provisions, thereby improving the overall regulatory environment. Replying to the debate on the bill, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said it will help people and MSMEs. Amendments moved by Congress member K Kavya were rejected by voice vote.

Supreme Court reserves verdict on redefining "industry" under labour law, revisiting 1978 ruling that expanded scope of protections across sectors

Top court to assess correctness of landmark Bangalore Water Supply ruling, holding that the reference must be decided despite changes in the statutory framework

Centre tells Supreme Court that an expansive definition of "industry" could impose disproportionate obligations on employers and discourage private sector participation

Nearly 75 per cent of companies expect a rise in structured fixed-term employment as companies respond to the implementation of new labour codes, signalling a shift towards greater workforce formalisation, according to a report. The shift toward workforce formalisation is becoming increasingly evident, as an overwhelming 75 per cent of respondents anticipate greater adoption of structured fixed-term employment as a strategic response to the new labour codes, HR solutions provider Genius HRTech said in the report. This signals a decisive movement toward more formal, compliant, and documented employment arrangements, it added. In November 2025, the government consolidated and implemented 29 Central labour laws into four comprehensive codes - Wages, Industrial Relations, Social Security, and Occupational Safety, to simplify compliance, modernise regulations, and enhance worker welfare. The report by Genius HRTech is based on inputs from 1,459 companies during January 2026 across secto

The second of the two-part series looks at working hours, employer responsibilities and compliance

The first of a two-part series on labour Codes looks at wage definition, compliance challenges, and the road ahead

The Supreme Court has referred the scope of the term "industry" under labour law to a nine-judge Bench, which will revisit a 1975 ruling and assess the effect of later legislative developments

Companies are expected to continue salary hikes despite higher costs from new labour codes, but sectors like IT may see slightly lower increments due to margin pressure

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a comprehensive legal framework and enforcement of minimum wages for domestic workers, saying it cannot issue a writ asking the Centre and states to consider amending existing laws. The top court also observed that trade unionism has been largely responsible for stopping the industrial growth in the country. "How many industrial units in the country have been closed thanks to trade unions? Let us know the realities. All traditional industries in the country, all because of these 'jhanda' unions have been closed, all throughout the country. They don't want to work. These trade union leaders are largely responsible for stopping industrial growth in the country," Chief Justice Surya Kant said. "Of course exploitation is there, but there are means to address exploitation. People should have been made more aware of their individual rights, people should have been made more skilled, there were several other reforms which ...

As gig workers protest pay and conditions, platforms, consumers, policymakers must rethink convenience, tipping culture and humane work practices to ensure growth does not come at the cost of dignity

Statutory impact of new labour codes, AI-led restructuring costs and a large legal provision weighed on TCS's Q3 FY26 profitability

India's new labour codes promise simplification, but for MSMEs the transition could mean higher wage bills and tougher compliance - unless strong handholding follows

Draft rules under the new Labour Codes set minimum work-day criteria for gig workers to access social security benefits, prompting unions to seek clarity on eligibility and safeguards

Draft rules under India's four Labour Codes clarify wages and gratuity calculations, extend social security, but smaller firms still face implementation concerns