Labour Laws

China likely to face closer scrutiny in US forced-labour probe: GTRI

A second trade investigation launched by the US into alleged forced labour practices across 60 economies, including India and China, is expected to place particular scrutiny on Beijing amid allegations of forced labour in the Xinjiang region, think tank GTRI said on Sunday. India's exports of solar panels, electronics and garments to the US may also face closer scrutiny under this new US investigation into forced labour in global supply chains, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said. On March 12, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched a Section 301 probe, covering 60 economies. This is the second Section 301 probe this month. The investigations will determine whether acts, policies, and practices of each of these economies related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a ban on the importation of goods produced with forced labour are unreasonable or discriminatory, and burden or restrict US commerce. The probe will examine whether countries allow

Corporate India flags concerns over high employee costs under Labour Codes

Under the Code on Wages, fixed term employees are now eligible for payment of gratuity if they serve for a minimum period of one year

VB-G RAM G to address labour shortage during peak farm season: Minister

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the recently passed Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act addresses the labour shortage faced during peak farm seasons. The VB-G RAM G Act, which replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), was passed in Parliament last week. Addressing virtually on the occasion of Farmers Day, Chouhan said the law strikes a balance between the welfare of farmers and labourers, according to an official statement. "VB-G RAM G is extremely useful in the broader interest of the country, as it empowers and makes the farming community self-reliant. While the VB-G RAM G fully takes care of the upliftment of labourers, it also focuses on farmers, ensuring sufficient labourers are available for farming," he said. The minister pointed out that farmers often face difficulty in finding labourers during sowing and harvesting seasons. "Now with this new law, this problem wil

MGNREGA and the weight of change reignites debate over implementation

The proposal to rename the rural employment scheme, raise the number of guaranteed workdays and alter its cost-sharing structure has reignited debate over its implementation and intent

Did MGNREGA act as safety net for casual labour during sowing, harvest?

Civil society groups say the VB-G RAM G Bill could weaken casual labour's bargaining power, as MGNREGA served as a safety net and fall back option when farm wages turned unattractive

Govt to release compliance handbook for new labour Codes: Labour secy

Gurnani said that both the Centre and state governments will help the labour inspectors understand their new role of inspector-cum-facilitator and provide them with training

Centre proposes renaming MGNREGA to VB-G RaM G, to change funding pattern

The Centre has proposed renaming MGNREGA as VB-RaM G, raising guaranteed workdays to 125 and shifting the funding pattern to 60:40, drawing criticism over diluted worker protections

Want labour machinery to focus on defaulting firms: Labour Secretary

Labour Secretary Vandana Gurnani talks about how the ministry plans to enforce worker protections without bureaucratic drags and how states are aligning their rules with the national framework

Centre-state collaboration: A must for effective labour reforms

From national floor wages to fixed-term employment, the reforms introduce long-awaited changes, but uniform state-level adoption is key to avoiding fresh complexity

Labour codes will unlock far-reaching benefits for workers: Swiggy

On-demand convenience firm Swiggy Ltd on Saturday termed the newly notified labour codes as a "transformative step" that will unlock far-reaching benefits for millions of workers. While supporting the government's vision of a modern and inclusive social security net, in a regulatory filing, Swiggy said it does not anticipate any material impact from the CoSS (the Code on Social Security, 2020) on its business sustainability, cost structure, or long-term financial performance. The government on Friday notified the four labour codes, which have rationalised 29 existing labour laws. These will formalise employment, strengthen worker protection, and make the labour ecosystem simpler, safer and globally aligned. Under the new codes, 'gig work', 'platform work', and 'aggregators' have been defined for the first time. The codes stipulate that aggregators employing gig workers must contribute 1-2 per cent of annual turnover to social security, with the total contribution not exceeding 5 per

Dialogue among employers, workers key as labour codes take effect: ILO DG

International Labour Organization Director-General Gilbert F Houngbo has said social dialogue among government employers and workers will remain essential as the labour codes are implemented to ensure they are positive for workers and business. In a post on X, he said: "Following with interest developments of India's new Labour Codes announced today, including on social protection & minimum wages." In a landmark overhaul of labour laws, the government on Friday notified all four labour codes, ushering in major reforms, including universal social security coverage for gig workers, mandatory appointment letters for all employees, and statutory minimum wages and timely payment across sectors. Meanwhile, reacting to the labour codes, Sajja Praveen Chowdary, Director, Policybazaar for Business said making annual health checks mandatory for employees above 40 years marks an important shift in how organisations view workforce wellbeing. In the long run, this alignment of policy and ...

4 labour codes take effect nationwide: Here's what's changing for workers

New labour Code 2025: New rules promise better wages, wider social security and simpler compliance effective from today.

Govt must implement Labour Codes immediately to drive sustained reforms

Industry needs to deal with workers differently. Each worker will not just be a cog in the wheel but an active participant taking responsibility for a flexible and malleable production process

India's contract labour surge carries risks for jobs and the economy

Contract workers are typically not directly employed by factories but are hired through third-party agencies

US adds five more products to high-priority list under Uyghur labour law

The new products include steel, copper, lithium, caustic soda, and red dates, all of which are now under heightened scrutiny for links to forced labour

UK unveils £3 billion plan to train 120k workers, cut reliance on migrants

The UK Labour government's 'skills revolution' includes new apprenticeships, bootcamps, and English language reforms to reduce foreign labour dependence

Shravin Bharti Mittal joins wealthy exodus as UK tax reforms bite

Shravin Mittal's relocation to UAE highlights the impact of Britain's crackdown on non-dom tax perks; analysts warn of broader economic fallout

Fresh formal hirings decline by 10% in February, shows EPFO data

The EPFO data is considered crucial as it reflects the state of the formal labour market, and only the formal workforce enjoys social security benefits and is protected by labour laws

Kerala government orders probe into disturbing workplace harassment video

Kerala firm under fire after viral video shows staff crawling with leashes, sparking outrage and multiple probes by police, labour department and rights panels

GCCs emerging as a big answer to labour migration: Labour Secy Sumita Dawra

Nearly 34 states and union territories (UTs) have pre - published draft rules and it has been done in a harmonized, standardized manner, Dawra said