India Update – Government Notifies Commencement of All Four Labour Codes (Effective 21 November 2025)

By King Stubb & Kasiva

November 21, 2025

On 21 November 2025, the India Ministry of Labour & Employment issued a series of notifications bringing into force substantial provisions including in many cases the entirety of all four Labour Codes, namely:

1. Code on Wages, 2019
2. Code on Social Security, 2020
3. Industrial Relations Code, 2020
4. Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020

These notifications mark the most comprehensive consolidation of labour legislation in independent India, replacing 29 existing Central labour statutes with a modernised regime.

Key Highlights of the Notifications

• The Code on Wages, 2019 has been operationalised through a wide set of provisions including definitions of wages, minimum wages, payment of wages, bonus, compliance, offences, and penalty mechanisms.

• The Code on Social Security, 2020 has been substantially enforced, covering provident fund, ESI, gratuity, maternity benefit, registration obligations, gig and platform worker benefits, and the social security framework for unorganised workers.

• The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 has been brought entirely into effect, governing trade unions, dispute resolution, strikes, lockouts, retrenchment, closure procedures, and standing orders.

• The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 has also been enforced in full, covering safety standards, workplace conditions, contractor regulation, factory licensing, migrant worker protections, and welfare measures.

What This Means for Employers

These notifications require immediate attention from HR, compliance, and legal teams. Organisations will need to:

• Transition to the new definitions, standards, and compliance obligations introduced under each Code;

• Update employment agreements, HR manuals, standing orders, and workplace policies;

• Re-evaluate payroll structures and wage components to align with the unified definition of wages;

• Prepare for expanded social security coverage, including obligations toward contract, gig, and platform workers;

• Review safety and workplace-condition protocols in line with OSH requirements; and

• Monitor corresponding State rules, which will determine full operational implementation across jurisdictions.

We recommend undertaking a comprehensive compliance review to ensure readiness under the new regime. Our team remains available to assist with audits, trainings, policy updates, and structural redesigns required under the Labour Codes.

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