The Centre has completed the implementation of the four new labour codes by notifying the corresponding rules, more than five years after the reforms were first introduced to replace and consolidate 29 existing labour laws, PTI reported.The four codes — the Code on Wages, 2019; Industrial Relations Code, 2020; Code on Social Security, 2020; and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020–had already come into force on November 21, 2025.However, the government had not fully operationalised the framework earlier as detailed rules under the codes were pending.An official told PTI that the rules under all four labour codes have now been published in the official gazette, completing the process for full implementation of the new labour regime.He said that while the labour codes had become law last year, certain operational explanations and procedures could not be enforced in the absence of notified rules.The draft rules were first published on December 30, 2025, to seek feedback from stakeholders before undergoing legal vetting and final notification.The labour law reforms were aimed at simplifying India’s labour framework, improving ease of doing business and expanding worker protection through a modernised legal structure.The codification seeks to ensure minimum wages, universal social security coverage, workplace safety and streamlined compliance mechanisms across sectors.Since labour falls under the concurrent list, both the Centre and states are required to notify their respective rules for full enforcement across the country.According to the report, the implementation of the codes is expected to broaden worker protection, improve business efficiency and promote a more formal and structured labour ecosystem.Key provisions under the new framework include mandatory appointment letters for workers, free annual health check-ups for employees aged 40 years and above, and equal work, pay and opportunity for women across different shifts.The new framework also mandates the creation of a National Reskilling Fund to support workers who lose employment and require retraining.The rules further cap total working hours at 48 hours per week.“The number of hours of work which shall constitute a normal working day for an employee whose wage period is other than on a daily basis shall be so fixed that the total number of weekly working hours shall not exceed forty-eight hours,” the rules stated.The framework also provides for at least one weekly rest day and overtime payments for work beyond prescribed hours.
