Indian labour law

Last updated

In India in 2021, of the total working population 501 million people were employed, the second largest after China. There was 6.1% unemployment, and 93.4% without trade union membership. The average income was $440/month, and the average working week was 40 hours. Sculpture of hasta mudras at Indira Gandhi International Airport.jpg
In India in 2021, of the total working population 501 million people were employed, the second largest after China. There was 6.1% unemployment, and 93.4% without trade union membership. The average income was $440/month, and the average working week was 40 hours.
Deaths due to long working hours per 100,000 people (15+), joint study conducted by World Health Organization and International Labor Organization in 2016. Deaths from Karoshi.png
Deaths due to long working hours per 100,000 people (15+), joint study conducted by World Health Organization and International Labor Organization in 2016.

Indian labour law refers to law regulating labour in India. Traditionally, the Indian government at the federal and state levels has sought to ensure a high degree of protection for workers, but in practice, this differs due to the form of government and because labour is a subject in the concurrent list of the Indian Constitution. The Minimum Wages Act 1948 requires companies to pay the minimum wage set by the government alongside limiting working weeks to 40 hours (9 hours a day including an hour of break). Overtime is strongly discouraged with the premium on overtime being 100% of the total wage. The Payment of Wages Act 1936 mandates the payment of wages on time on the last working day of every month via bank transfer or postal service. The Factories Act 1948 and the Shops and Establishment Act 1960 mandate 18 working days of fully paid vacation or earned leaves and 7 casual leaves each year to each employee, with an additional 7 fully paid sick days. The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 gives female employees of every company the right to take 6 months' worth of fully paid maternity leave. It also provides for 6 weeks worth of paid leaves in case of miscarriage or medical termination of pregnancy. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation and the Employees' State Insurance, governed by statutory acts provide workers with necessary social security for retirement benefits and medical and unemployment benefits respectively. Workers entitled to be covered under the Employees' State Insurance (those making less than Rs 21000/month) are also entitled to 90 days worth of paid medical leaves. A contract of employment can always provide for more rights than the statutory minimum set rights. The Indian parliament passed four labour codes in the 2019 and 2020 sessions. These four codes will consolidate 44 existing labour laws. [3] They are: The Industrial Relations Code 2020, The Code on Social Security 2020, The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 and The Code on Wages 2019. Despite having one of the longest working hours, India has one of the lowest workforce productivity levels in the world. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Contents

History

Indian labour law is closely connected to the Indian independence movement, and the campaigns of passive resistance leading up to independence. While India was under colonial rule by the British Raj, labour rights, trade unions, and freedom of association were all regulated by the:

Workers who sought better conditions, and trade unions who campaigned through strike action were frequently, and violently suppressed. After independence was won in 1947, the Constitution of India of 1950 embedded a series of fundamental labour rights in the constitution, particularly the right to join and take action in a trade union, the principle of equality at work, and the aspiration of creating a living wage with decent working conditions.

Constitutional rights

In the Constitution of India from 1950, articles 14-16, 19(1)(c), 23-24, 38, and 41-43A directly concern labour rights. Article 14 states everyone should be equal before the law, article 15 specifically says the state should not discriminate against citizens, and article 16 extends a right of "equality of opportunity" for employment or appointment under the state. Article 19(1)(c) gives everyone a specific right "to form associations or unions". Article 23 prohibits all trafficking and forced labour, while article 24 prohibits child labour under 14 years old in a factory, mine or "any other hazardous employment".

Articles 38-39, and 41-43A, however, like all rights listed in Part IV of the Constitution are not enforceable by courts, rather than creating an aspirational "duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws". [11] The original justification for leaving such principles unenforceable by the courts was that democratically accountable institutions ought to be left with discretion, given the demands they could create on the state for funding from general taxation, although such views have since become controversial. Article 38(1) says that in general the state should "strive to promote the welfare of the people" with a "social order in which justice, social, economic and political, shall inform all the institutions of national life." In article 38(2) it goes on to say the state should "minimise the inequalities in income" and based on all other statuses. Article 41 creates a "right to work", which the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 attempts to put into practice. Article 42 requires the state to "make provision for securing just and human conditions of work and for maternity relief". Article 43 says workers should have the right to a living wage and "conditions of work ensuring a decent standard of life". Article 43A, inserted by the Forty-second Amendment of the Constitution of India in 1976, [12] creates a constitutional right to codetermination by requiring the state to legislate to "secure the participation of workers in the management of undertakings".

Contract and rights

Scope of protection

Indian labour law makes a distinction between people who work in "organised" sectors and people working in "unorganised sectors".[ citation needed ] The laws list the ditors to which various labour rights apply. People who do not fall within these sectors, the ordinary law of contract applies.[ citation needed ]

India's labour laws underwent a major update in the Industrial Disputes Act of 1947. [13] Since then, an additional 45 national laws expand or intersect with the 1948 act, and another 200 state laws control the relationships between the worker and the company. These laws mandate all aspects of employer-employee interaction, such as companies must keep 6 attendance logs, 10 different accounts for overtime wages, and file 5 types of annual returns. The scope of labour laws extend from regulating the height of urinals in workers' washrooms to how often a work space must be lime-washed. [14] Inspectors can examine working space anytime and declare fines for violation of any labour laws and regulations.[ citation needed ]

Employment contracts

Among the employment contracts that are regulated in India, the regulation involves significant government involvement which is rare in developed countries. The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 requires that employers have terms including working hours, leave, productivity goals, dismissal procedures or worker classifications, approved by a government body. The employment agreement is also governed by the suitable confidentiality, non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and non-compete clause (NCC) in agreements with employees. [15] It has its roots in trade secret legislations under common law [16] and intellectual property law. [17] These may include the type of information that is likely to be disclosed, the manner in which it should be used and restrictions on disclosure post-termination.

The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970 aims at regulating employment of contract labour so as to place it at par with labour employed directly. [18] Women are now permitted to work night shifts too (10 pm to 6 am). [18]

The Latin phrase 'dies non' is being widely used by disciplinary authorities in government and industries for denoting the 'unauthorised absence' to the delinquent employees. According to Shri R. P. Saxena, chief engineer, Indian Railways, dies-non is a period which neither counted in service nor considered as break in service. [19] A person can be marked dies-non, if

In cases of such willful and unauthorised absence from work, the leave sanctioning authority may decide and order that the days on which the work is not performed be treated as dies non-on the principle of no work no pay. This will be without prejudice to any other action that the competent authority might take against the persons resorting to such practises. [20] The principle of "no work no pay" is widely being used in the banking industry in India. [21] All other manufacturing industries and large service establishments like railways, posts and telecommunications are also implementing it to minimise the incidences of unauthorised absence of workers. The term 'industry' infuses a contractual relationship between the employer and the employee for sale of products and services which are produced through their cooperative endeavor.

This contract together with the need to put in efforts in producing goods and services imposes duties (including ancillary duties) and obligations on the part of the employees to render services with the tools provided and in a place and time fixed by the employer. And in return, as a quid pro quo, the employer is enjoined to pay wages for work done and or for fulfilling the contract of employment. Duties generally, including ancillary duties, additional duties, normal duties, emergency duties, which have to be done by the employees and payment of wages therefor. Where the contract of employment is not fulfilled or work is not done as prescribed, the principle of 'no work no pay' is brought into play.

In the Labour Law 2021, the government has approved an overtime payment to the employees working more than 15 minutes of scheduled shift. It is applicable from 1 April 2021.

Wage regulation

The Payment of Wages Act 1936 requires that employees receive wages, on time, and without any unauthorised deductions. Section 6 requires that people are paid in money rather than in kind. The law also provides the tax withholdings the employer must deduct and pay to the central or state government before distributing the wages. [22]

The Minimum Wages Act 1948 sets wages for the different economic sectors that it states it will cover. It leaves a large number of workers unregulated. Central and state governments have discretion to set wages according to kind of work and location, and they range between as much as 143 to 1120 per day for work in the so-called central sphere. State governments have their own minimum wage schedules. [23]

The Payment of Gratuity Act 1972 applies to establishments with 10 or more workers. Gratuity is payable to the employee if he or she resigns or retires. The Indian government mandates that this payment be at the rate of 15 days salary of the employee for each completed year of service subject to a maximum of 2000000. [24]

The Payment of Bonus Act 1965, which applies only to enterprises with over 20 people, requires bonuses are paid out of profits based on productivity. The minimum bonus is currently 8.33 per cent of salary. [25]

Weekly Holidays Act 1942 [26]

Beedi and Cigar Workers Act 1966 [27]

Health and safety

The Workmen's Compensation Act 1923 requires that compensation is paid if workers are injured in the course of employment for injuries, or benefits to dependants. The rates are low. [28] [29]

Pensions and insurance

The Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952 (repealed in 2020) created the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation of India. This functions as a pension fund for old age security for the organised workforce sector. For those workers, it creates Provident Fund to which employees and employers contribute equally, and the minimum contributions are 10-12 per cent of wages. On retirement, employees may draw their pension. [30]

The Employees' State Insurance provides health and social security insurance. This was created by the Employees' State Insurance Act 1948. [31]

The Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act 2008 (repealed in 2020) was passed to extend the coverage of life and disability benefits, health and maternity benefits, and old age protection for unorganised workers. "Unorganised" is defined as home-based workers, self-employed workers or daily-wage workers. The state government was meant to formulate the welfare system through rules produced by the National Social Security Board.

The Maternity Benefit Act 1961 (repealed in 2020), creates rights to payments of maternity benefits for any woman employee who worked in any establishment for a period of at least 80 days during the 12 months immediately preceding the date of her expected delivery. [32] On 30 March 2017 the President of India Pranab Mukherjee approved the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 which provides for 26-weeks paid maternity leave for women employees.

The Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (repealed in 2020), provides for compulsory contributory fund for the future of an employee after his/her retirement or for his/her dependents in case of employee's early death. It extends to the whole of India.:

[33]

The Code On Social Security, 2020

The Code on Social Security, 2020, consolidating 9 central labour enactments relating to social security.

Workplace participation

Trade unions

Article 19(1)(c) of the Constitution of India gives everyone an enforceable right "to form associations or unions".

The Trade Unions Act 1926, amended in 2001, contains rules on governance and general rights of trade unions. [34] It is repealed by the Industrial Relations Code, 2020.

Board representation

It was the view of many in the Indian Independence Movement, including Mahatma Gandhi, that workers had as much of a right to participate in management of firms as shareholders or other property owners. [35] Article 43A of the Constitution, inserted by the Forty-second Amendment of the Constitution of India in 1976, [12] created a right to codetermination by requiring the state to legislate to "secure the participation of workers in the management of undertakings". However, like other rights in Part IV, this article is not directly enforceable but instead creates a duty upon state organs to implement its principles through legislation (and potentially through court cases). In 1978 the Sachar Report recommended legislation for inclusion of workers on boards, however this had not yet been implemented. [36]

The Industrial Disputes Act 1947 section 3 created a right of participation in joint work councils to "provide measures for securing amity and good relations between the employer and workmen and, to that end to comment upon matters of their common interest or concern and endeavour to compose any material difference of opinion in respect of such matters". However, trade unions had not taken up these options on a large scale. In National Textile Workers Union v Ramakrishnan [37] the Supreme Court, Bhagwati J giving the leading judgment, held that employees had a right to be heard in a winding up petition of a company because their interests were directly affected and their standing was not excluded by the wording of the Companies Act 1956 section 398. It is repealed by the Industrial Relations Code, 2020.

Collective action

The Industrial Disputes Act 1947 regulates how employers may address industrial disputes such as lockouts, layoffs, retrenchment etc. It controls the lawful processes for reconciliation, adjudication of labour disputes.

According to fundamental rules (FR 17A) of the civil service of India, a period of unauthorised absence- (i) in the case of employees working in industrial establishments, during a strike which has been declared illegal under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, or any other law for the time being in force; (ii) in the case of other employees as a result of action in combination or in concerted manner, such as during a strike, without any authority from, or valid reason to the satisfaction of the competent authority; shall be deemed to cause an interruption or break in the service of the employee, unless otherwise decided by the competent authority for the purpose of leave travel concession, quasi-permanency and eligibility for appearing in departmental examinations, for which a minimum period of continuous service is required. [38]

Industrial Relations Code, 2020

The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 consolidated and amended the laws relating to trade unions, conditions of employment in industrial establishment or undertaking, investigation and settlement of industrial disputes. The act combines and simplifies the 3 central labour laws listed above.

Equality

Article 14 states everyone should be equal before the law, article 15 specifically says the state should not discriminate against citizens, and article 16 extends a right of "equality of opportunity" for employment or appointment under the state. Article 23 prohibits all trafficking and forced labour, while article 24 prohibits child labour under 14 years old in a factory, mine or "any other hazardous employment".

Gender discrimination

Article 39(d) of the Constitution provides that men and women should receive equal pay for equal work. In the Equal Remuneration Act 1976 implemented this principle in legislation.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 bans discrimination on the basis of gender identity in employment. Furthermore, the following judicial writ of mandamus ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment.

Caste Discrimination

The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 bans discrimination on the basis of caste including in employment and pursuance of profession or trade. The legislation has often been called the "world's most powerful anti-discrimination law". [40]

Migrant workers

Vulnerable groups

Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976, abolishes bonded labour, but estimates suggest that between 2 million and 5 million workers still remain in debt bondage in India. [41]

Child labour in India is prohibited by the Constitution, article 24, in factories, mines and hazardous employment, and that under article 21 the state should provide free and compulsory education up to a child is aged 14. [42] However, in practice, the laws are not enforced properly.

Job security

Fair dismissal

Some of India's most controversial labour laws concern the procedures for dismissal contained in the Industrial Disputes Act 1947. A workman who has been employed for over a year can only be dismissed if permission is sought from and granted by the appropriate government office. [43] Additionally, before dismissal, valid reasons must be given, and there is a wait of at least two months for government permission, before a lawful termination can take effect.

A permanent worker can be terminated only for proven misconduct or for habitual absence. [44] The Industrial Disputes Act (1947) requires companies employing more than 100 workers to seek government approval before they can fire employees or close down. [18] In practice, permissions for firing employees are seldom granted. [18] Indian laws require a company to get permission for dismissing workers with plant closing, even if it is necessary for economic reasons. The government may grant or deny permission for closing, even if the company is losing money on the operation. [45]

The dismissed worker has a right to appeal, even if the government has granted the dismissal application. Indian labour regulations provide for a number of appeal and adjudicating authorities – conciliation officers, conciliation boards, courts of inquiry, labour courts, industrial tribunals and the national industrial tribunal – under the Industrial Disputes Act. [46] These involve complex procedures. Beyond these labour appeal and adjudicating procedures, the case can proceed to respective State High Court or finally the Supreme Court of India.

Redundancy

Redundancy pay must be given, set at 15 days' average pay for each complete year of continuous service. An employee who has worked for 4 years in addition to various notices and due process, must be paid a minimum of the employee's wage equivalent to 60 days before retrenchment, if the government grants the employer a permission to lay off.

Full employment

The Industries (Regulation and Development) Act 1951 declared that manufacturing industries under its First Schedule were under common central government regulations in addition to whatever laws state government enact. It reserved over 600 products that can only be manufactured in small-scale enterprises, thereby regulating who can enter in these businesses, and above all placing a limit on the number of employees per company for the listed products. The list included all key technology and industrial products in the early 1950s, including products ranging from certain iron and steel products, fuel derivatives, motors, certain machinery, machine tools, to ceramics and scientific equipment. [49]

State laws

Each state in India may have special labour regulations in certain circumstances. Every state in India makes its own regulations for the Central Act. The regulations may vastly differ from state to state. The forms and procedures used will be different in each state. The Central Government is in the process on simplifying these multiple state laws into 4 Labour Codes. They are Code on 1. Wages, 2. Social Security and Welfare, 3. Industrial Relations, 4. Occupational Safety and Health and Working Conditions.

Gujarat

In 2004, the Gujarat government amended the Industrial Disputes Act to allow greater labour market flexibility in the Special Export Zones of Gujarat. The law allows companies within SEZs to lay off redundant workers, without seeking the permission of the government, by giving a formal notice and severance pay. [50]

West Bengal

The West Bengal government revised its labour laws making it virtually impossible to shut down a loss-making factory. [50] The West Bengal law applies to all companies within the state that employ 70 or more employees. [51]

International comparison

The table below contrasts the labour laws in India to those in China and United States, as of 2022.

Relative regulations and rigidity in labour laws [52]
Practice required by lawFlag of India.svg  India Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Minimum wage (US$/month)12,500 (US$150) /month [53] 182.51242.6
Standard work day8 hours8 hours8 hours
Minimum rest while at workone hour per 6-hourNoneNone
Maximum overtime limit125 hours per year [ attribution needed ]432 hours per year [54] None
Premium pay for overtime100%50%None
Dismissal due to redundancy or closure of the factoryYes, if approved by local labor departmentYes, without approval of governmentYes, without approval of government
Government approval required for 1 person dismissal YesNoNo
Government approval required for 9 person dismissal YesNoNo
Government approval for redundancy dismissal grantedYes [55] [56] Not applicableNot applicable
Dismissal rules regulatedYesYesNo

Many observers have argued that India's labour laws should be reformed. [57] [58] [59] [60] [61] [62] [63] [18] [64] The laws have constrained the growth of the formal manufacturing sector. [62] According to a World Bank report in 2008, heavy reform would be desirable. The executive summary stated,

India's labour regulations - among the most restrictive and complex in the world - have constrained the growth of the formal manufacturing sector where these laws have their widest application. Better designed labour regulations can attract more labour- intensive investment and create jobs for India's unemployed millions and those trapped in poor quality jobs. Given the country's momentum of growth, the window of opportunity must not be lost for improving the job prospects for the 80 million new entrants who are expected to join the work force over the next decade. [65]

Ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2005 had said that new labour laws are needed, [66] however no reforms were made to effect.

In Uttam Nakate case, the Bombay High Court held that dismissing an employee for repeated sleeping on the factory floor was illegal - a decision which was overturned by the Supreme Court of India. However, it took two decades to complete the legal process. In 2008, the World Bank criticised the complexity, lack of modernisation and flexibility in Indian regulations. [62]

See also

Notes

  1. "Labor force, total - India | Data".
  2. https://who-ilo-joint-estimates.shinyapps.io/OccupationalBurdenOfDisease/
  3. "Summary of Labour Codes 2020". Labour Codes 2020. 29 March 2021. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  4. Dougherty, S., R. Herd and T. Chalaux (2009), "What is holding back productivity growth in India ?: Recent microevidence", OECD Journal: Economic Studies, vol. 2009/1, doi : 10.1787/eco_studies-v2009-art3-en.
  5. Sapovadia, Vrajlal K., Low Productivity: India’s Bottleneck of Growth (May 21, 2019). Available at SSRN: SSRN   3391621 or doi : 10.2139/ssrn.3391621
  6. Bloom, Nicholas, Aprajit Mahajan, David McKenzie, and John Roberts. 2010. "Why Do Firms in Developing Countries Have Low Productivity?" American Economic Review, 100 (2): 619–23. doi : 10.1257/aer.100.2.619
  7. Sivadasan, Jagadeesh. "Barriers to Competition and Productivity: Evidence from India" The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, vol. 9, no. 1, 2009. doi : 10.2202/1935-1682.2161
  8. Goldar, B., Krishna, K.L., Aggarwal, S.C. et al. Productivity growth in India since the 1980s: the KLEMS approach. Ind. Econ. Rev. 52, 37–71 (2017). doi : 10.1007/s41775-017-0002-y
  9. "Industrial Acts and Legislations: Trade Unions Act". Business - India. Government of India. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  10. Roy, Tirthankar (2016). Law and the Economy in Colonial India. University of Chicago Press. p. 118. ISBN   9780226387789.
  11. Constitution of India, article 37
  12. 1 2 See Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act 1976 s 9
  13. "Industrial Disputes Act, 1947". nyaaya.in. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  14. Mehul Srivastava, India Labour Laws Bloomberg Businessweek
  15. Nomani, M.Z.M. (2012). Dominic Keating (ed.). Synergy of Trade Secret Legislations, Competition Laws and Innovation Protection Statutes under Emerging Intellectual Property Rights Regime: A Comparative and Indo-U.S. Perspective. NOIDA: Amity University Press: NOIDA. pp. 63–79.
  16. Nomani, M.Z.M. & Hussain Z. (2020). "Ecological Nuisance and Common Law Environmentalism: Relevance and Revival in Combating Environmental Pollution in India". Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical & Control Systems. 12 (5): 1197–1204. doi:10.5373/JARDCS/V12SP5/20201874. S2CID   225802893.
  17. Nomani, M.Z.M. (2011). "Intellection of Trade Secret and Innovation Laws in India". Journal of Intellectual Property Rights. 16 (4): 341–350.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Aditya Gupta. "How wrong has the Indian Left been about economic reforms?" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  19. "Indian Railways Institute of Civil Engineering". Archived from the original on 9 April 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  20. Rule 62, P&T manual Vol III, Government of India
  21. C. Krishnamurthi. Dies Non (No Work No Pay) in Banking Industry ISBN   978-81-8387-226-3
  22. "Payment of Wages Act 1936" (PDF). Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  23. "Minimum Wages Act 1948" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  24. "Payment of Gratuity Act, Gratuity Act 1972" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  25. "Payment of Bonus Act 1965" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  26. http://vikaspedia.in/social-welfare/unorganised-sector-1/weekly-holidays-act-1942 [ bare URL ]
  27. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. "Workmen's Compensation Act 1923" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  29. "Social Security in India" (PDF). The Government of India. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2012.
  30. Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952 Archived 21 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  31. See Employees' State Insurance Act 1948 Archived 21 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  32. "Maternity Benefit Act 1961" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  33. See The Employees' Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act,1952
  34. Trade Unions Act 1926 Archived 21 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  35. As Gandhi said, "my advice to the employers would be that they should willingly regard the workers as the real owners of the concerns which they fancy they have created" in 'Harijan' (31 March 1946) reproduced in R Iyer (ed), The Moral and Political Writing of Mahatma Gandhi (1987) vol 3, 197-199
  36. Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs, Report of the High-Powered Expert Committee on Companies and Maintenance of Restrictive Trade Practices Acts Archived 3 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine (1978)
  37. 1983 AIR 75, 1983 SCR (1) 9. Noted by J Cottrell, 'Indian Judicial Activism, the Company and the Worker: A Note on National Textile Workers Union v Ramakrishnan' (1990) 39(2) The International and Comparative Law Quarterly 433
  38. Fundamental Rules, Government of India
  39. Mishra, Abhishek (10 February 2021). "Homosexuality not a ground to sack employee, rules Allahabad High Court". India Today. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  40. "Indian Supreme Court curbs one of the world's most powerful anti-discrimination laws".
  41. RS Srivastava, 'Bonded Labor in India: Its Incidence and Pattern' (2005) Cornell University Working Paper
  42. International Labour Organization, "National Legislation and Policies Against Child Labour in India" (2011 Archived 9 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine )
  43. India Labour Regulations OECD
  44. Parul Sharma (February 2007). "Split Legal Regime in India's Labour Laws" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2015.
  45. Basu et al, Retrenchment, Labor Laws and Government Policy: An Analysis with Special Reference to India, The World Bank
  46. Lalit Bhasin, Labour and Employment Laws of India Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine United Nations
  47. Financial Times, Sleepy System, 21 January 2005
  48. Supreme Court of India, Bharat Forge Co. Ltd vs Uttam Manohar Nakate on 18 January 2005, CASE NO.: Appeal (civil) 4399 of 2002
  49. Industries (Development and Regulation) Act 1951 Archived 19 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  50. 1 2 Goldman Sachs says reforms to create 110 mn jobs for economy in 10 yrs Business Today, March 2014
  51. Goldman Thumbs Up for Gujarat Model The Times of India
  52. "Employing Workers - 2011 data (based on input from ILO, OECD, local governments and private employers)". The World Bank. 2012.
  53. "Revised VDA (Minimum Wages) wef 01 April 2022 Chief Labour Commissione". clc.gov.in. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  54. "Fair Labor Association Secures Commitment to Limit Workers' Hours, Protect Pay at Apple's Largest Supplier - Fair Labor Association". www.fairlabor.org. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  55. Gordon, Li, Xu (12 August 2010). "Labor regulation, economic complexity, and the China-India gap" (PDF). Hamilton University.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  56. Adhvaryu, Chari and Sharma (December 2009). "Firing costs and flexibility:evidence from firms employment responses to economic shocks" (PDF). Yale University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2013.
  57. "IMF calls for urgent reform in Indian labour laws". Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  58. Kaushik Basu; Gary S. Fields; Shub Debgupta. "Retrenchment, Labor Laws and Government Policy: An Analysis with Special Reference to India" (PDF). World Bank.
  59. R. C. Datta / Milly Sil. "Contemporary Issues on Labour Law Reform in India" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  60. "Economic survey of India 2007: Policy Brief" (PDF). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2011.
  61. Basu, Kaushik (27 June 2005). "Why India needs labour law reform". BBC.
  62. 1 2 3 "India Country Overview 2008". World Bank. 2008. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  63. "A special report on India: An elephant, not a tiger". The Economist. 11 December 2008.
  64. Gurcharan Das (July–August 2006). "The India Model". Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 7 March 2009.
  65. World Bank, India Country Overview 2008
  66. "New labour laws needed, says Manmohan". The Hindu . Chennai, India. 10 December 2005. Archived from the original on 11 December 2005.

Related Research Articles

Labour laws, labour code or employment laws are those that mediate the relationship between workers, employing entities, trade unions, and the government. Collective labour law relates to the tripartite relationship between employee, employer, and union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Kingdom labour law</span>

United Kingdom labour law regulates the relations between workers, employers and trade unions. People at work in the UK have a minimum set of employment rights, from Acts of Parliament, Regulations, common law and equity. This includes the right to a minimum wage of £11.44 for over-23-year-olds from April 2023 under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998. The Working Time Regulations 1998 give the right to 28 days paid holidays, breaks from work, and attempt to limit long working hours. The Employment Rights Act 1996 gives the right to leave for child care, and the right to request flexible working patterns. The Pensions Act 2008 gives the right to be automatically enrolled in a basic occupational pension, whose funds must be protected according to the Pensions Act 1995. Workers must be able to vote for trustees of their occupational pensions under the Pensions Act 2004. In some enterprises, such as universities or NHS foundation trusts, staff can vote for the directors of the organisation. In enterprises with over 50 staff, workers must be negotiated with, with a view to agreement on any contract or workplace organisation changes, major economic developments or difficulties. The UK Corporate Governance Code recommends worker involvement in voting for a listed company's board of directors but does not yet follow international standards in protecting the right to vote in law. Collective bargaining, between democratically organised trade unions and the enterprise's management, has been seen as a "single channel" for individual workers to counteract the employer's abuse of power when it dismisses staff or fix the terms of work. Collective agreements are ultimately backed up by a trade union's right to strike: a fundamental requirement of democratic society in international law. Under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 strike action is protected when it is "in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salary</span> Form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee

A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee, which may be specified in an employment contract. It is contrasted with piece wages, where each job, hour or other unit is paid separately, rather than on a periodic basis. Salary can also be considered as the cost of hiring and keeping human resources for corporate operations, and is hence referred to as personnel expense or salary expense. In accounting, salaries are recorded in payroll accounts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian labour law</span> Rights and duties of workers, unions and employers in Australia

Australian labour law sets the rights of working people, the role of trade unions, and democracy at work, and the duties of employers, across the Commonwealth and in states. Under the Fair Work Act 2009, the Fair Work Commission creates a national minimum wage and oversees National Employment Standards for fair hours, holidays, parental leave and job security. The FWC also creates modern awards that apply to most sectors of work, numbering 150 in 2024, with minimum pay scales, and better rights for overtime, holidays, paid leave, and superannuation for a pension in retirement. Beyond this floor of rights, trade unions and employers often create enterprise bargaining agreements for better wages and conditions in their workplaces. In 2024, collective agreements covered 15% of employees, while 22% of employees were classified as "casual", meaning that they lose many protections other workers have. Australia's laws on the right to take collective action are among the most restrictive in the developed world, and Australia does not have a general law protecting workers' rights to vote and elect worker directors on corporation boards as do most other wealthy OECD countries.

Equal pay for equal work is the concept of labour rights that individuals in the same workplace be given equal pay. It is most commonly used in the context of sexual discrimination, in relation to the gender pay gap. Equal pay relates to the full range of payments and benefits, including basic pay, non-salary payments, bonuses and allowances. Some countries have moved faster than others in addressing equal pay.

The Canada Labour Code is an Act of the Parliament of Canada to consolidate certain statutes respecting labour. The objective of the Code is to facilitate production by controlling strikes & lockouts, occupational safety and health, and some employment standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Employees' Provident Fund Organisation</span> Organisation of the Government of India

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is one of the two main social security agencies under the Government of India's Ministry of Labour and Employment and is responsible for regulation and management of provident funds in India, the other being Employees' State Insurance. The EPFO administers the retirement plan for employees in India, which comprises the mandatory provident fund, a basic pension scheme and a disability/death insurance scheme. It also manages social security agreements with other countries. International workers are covered under EPFO plans in countries where bilateral agreements have been signed. As of May 2021, 19 such agreements are in place. The EPFO's top decision-making body is the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), a statutory body established by the Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions (EPF&MP) Act, 1952. As of 2021, more than 15.6 lakh crore are under EPFO management.

Master and Servant Acts or Masters and Servants Acts were laws designed to regulate relations between employers and employees during the 18th and 19th centuries. An 1823 United Kingdom Act described its purpose as "the better regulations of servants, labourers and work people". This particular Act greatly influenced industrial relations and employment law in the United States, Australia, Canada (1847), New Zealand (1856) and South Africa (1856). These Acts are generally regarded as heavily biased towards employers, designed to discipline employees and repress the "combination" of workers in trade unions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 is a UK Act of Parliament which regulates United Kingdom labour law. The act applies in full in England and Wales and in Scotland, and partially in Northern Ireland.

Japanese labour law is the system of labour law operating in Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Industrial Disputes Act, 1947</span> Indian labour law

The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 extended to the whole of India and regulated Indian labour law concerning trade unions as well as Individual workman employed in any industry within the territory of Indian mainland. Enacted on 11 March 1947 and It came into force 1 April 1947. It was replaced by the Industrial Relations Code, 2020.

India has a robust social security legislative framework governing social security, encompassing multiple labour laws and regulations. These laws govern various aspects of social security, particularly focusing on the welfare of the workforce. The primary objective of these measures is to foster sound industrial relations, cultivate a high-quality work environment, ensure legislative compliance, and mitigate risks such as accidents and health concerns. Moreover, social security initiatives aim to safeguard against social risks such as retirement, maternity, healthcare and unemployment while tax-funded social assistance aims to reduce inequalities and poverty. The Directive Principles of State Policy, enshrined in Part IV of the Indian Constitution reflects that India is a welfare state. Food security to all Indians are guaranteed under the National Food Security Act, 2013 where the government provides highly subsidised food grains or a food security allowance to economically vulnerable people. The system has since been universalised with the passing of The Code on Social Security, 2020. These cover most of the Indian population with social protection in various situations in their lives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Labour in India</span> Employment in the economy of India

Labour in India refers to employment in the economy of India. In 2020, there were around 476.67 million workers in India, the second largest after China. Out of which, agriculture industry consist of 41.19%, industry sector consist of 26.18% and service sector consist 32.33% of total labour force. Of these over 94 percent work in unincorporated, unorganised enterprises ranging from pushcart vendors to home-based diamond and gem polishing operations. The organised sector includes workers employed by the government, state-owned enterprises and private sector enterprises. In 2008, the organised sector employed 27.5 million workers, of which 17.3 million worked for government or government owned entities.

The New York State Department of Labor is the department of the New York state government that enforces labor law and administers unemployment benefits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of labour law</span>

The history of labour law concerns the development of labour law as a way of regulating and improving the life of people at work. In the civilisations of antiquity, the use of slave labour was widespread. Some of the maladies associated with unregulated labour were identified by Pliny as "diseases of slaves."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Employees' State Insurance</span> Statutory body of the Government of India

Employees' State Insurance Corporation is one of the two main statutory social security bodies under the administrative control of Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, the other being the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation. The fund is managed by the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) according to rules and regulations stipulated in the ESI Act 1948.

South African labour law regulates the relationship between employers, employees and trade unions in the Republic of South Africa.

The Minimum Wages Act 1948 is an act of parliament concerning Indian labour law that sets the minimum wages that must be paid to skilled and unskilled workers.

Shram Suvidha is a Web Portal to provide a single platform for all labour compliances.The Unified Shram Suvidha Portal is developed to facilitate reporting of Inspections, and submission of Returns. The Unified Shram Suvidha Portal has been envisaged as a single point of contact between employer and enforcement agencies bringing in transparency in their day-to-day interactions. For integration of data among various enforcement agencies, each inspectable unit under any Labour Law has been assigned one Labour Identification Number (LIN).

The Code on Social Security, 2020 is a code to amend and consolidate the laws relating to social security with the goal to extend social security to all employees and workers either in the organised or unorganised or any other sectors.

References

Articles
Books
Reports
Journals

Labour Law of India - A Brief Explanation