Labour~16 min read
Four Labour Codes
Wages, IR, Social Security, OSHWC — structure, thresholds, what changed.
Parliament passed four Labour Codes (2019–2020) to consolidate 29 central labour laws. Implementation is staggered and state rules are required. For APFC, know the architecture, key definitions and changed thresholds — not every section.
| Code | Year | Absorbs (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|
| Code on Wages | 2019 | Minimum Wages, Payment of Wages, Bonus, Equal Remuneration |
| Industrial Relations Code | 2020 | Trade Unions, ID Act, Standing Orders |
| Code on Social Security | 2020 | EPF, ESI, Gratuity, Maternity, Compensation, Unorganised Workers, BOCW cess, etc. |
| OSHWC Code | 2020 | Factories, Mines, Dock Workers, Contract Labour, Inter-State Migrant, BOCW safety, etc. |
- Universal minimum wage: a national floor wage by the Centre; states cannot go below.
- IR Code: standing orders threshold proposed at 300 workers; prior permission for lay-off/retrenchment/closure also 300 (vs 100 in ID Act Ch. VB).
- Fixed-term employment recognised; gratuity on a pro-rata basis even for contracts under 5 years under the SS Code.
- SS Code: gig and platform workers defined; aggregators to contribute 1–2% of turnover (capped) to a social security fund.
- National Social Security Board and State Boards for unorganised, gig and platform workers.
- OSHWC: one registration, one licence, one return; inter-state migrant worker definition widened (includes those who migrate on their own).
- Strike notice: 14 days’ notice for all establishments (IR Code), not only public utilities.
Video Lectures & Explanations
Curated educational video lectures explaining this topic for UPSC EPFO
Drishti IAS
Four Labour Codes Complete Simplification for APFC/EO
Focus: Code on Wages 2019, IR Code 2020, SS Code 2020, OSHWC Code 2020
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Anuj Jindal
Labour Codes vs Old Acts: High-Yield Comparison
Focus: 300-worker threshold change, national floor wage, gig worker fund provisions
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