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All you need to know about the Centre’s new labour codes
The Union labour ministry is in the process to finalise the rules under the four labour codes, Code on Wages, Industrial Relations, Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) and Social Security Codes.
The Union Labour Secretary Apurva Chandra said on Monday that the Centre, under its new labour codes, would let organisations to allow their employees a four-day working week.
Chandra iterated that this new provision was mandatory to comply with, but was brought in as a means to deal with the changing work culture in the country.
The Union labour ministry is in the process to finalise the rules under the four labour codes, Code on Wages, Industrial Relations, Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) and Social Security Codes.
What do the new labour codes propose?
The new labour codes have made it possible for organisations to allow their employees to work four days a week, however, the daily working time for employees working four days a week will be different than those working more than four days.
The labour codes will comprise a work limit of 48 hours per week.
The labour secretary Apurva Chandra said, in a press briefing, that the organisations will be provided with three choices:
To work four days a week but 12 hours per day.
To work five days a week but around 10 hours per day.
To work six days a week but eight hours per day.
The Union Labour Secretary has also made clear that the Centre was not forcing employers or employees to comply with the provision adding that this was being brought in to provide flexibility and to be in sync with changing work culture in the country.
The Centre has also proposed to provide free medical check-ups to to workers through the Employees State Insurance Corporation, as per the labour secretary.
The Centre is also working towards rolling out an online portal by June this year for the registration of workers in the unorganised sector, including gig and platform workers and migrant workers.
As per the ministry, the portal would assist in the formulation of health, housing, skill, insurance, credit and food schemes for such workers and they would also be provided with an incentive of free coverage for one year for accidental and disability cover under the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY).
