India's New Labour Codes, effective November 2025, redefine overtime eligibility and calculation. Employees working over 8 hours daily or 48 hours weekly are entitled to at least double their normal wage, with managerial roles potentially qualifying based on duties, not just designation.
New labour code rules require employers to issue detailed appointment letters specifying job roles, wages, and social security benefits. This standardized format, now extended to all sectors, aims to reduce ambiguity and disputes, particularly benefiting employees in informal sectors.
New Indian labour codes consolidate 29 laws into a unified framework, simplifying compliance for employers with single registrations and electronic filings. Employees gain expanded protections, including gratuity for fixed-term workers and schemes for gig workers, enhancing transparency and formalizing employment.
New Indian labor code rules effective May 8, 2026, mandate a creche allowance of at least Rs 500 per month per child for employees with children under six, if their company doesn't provide a creche. This allowance is taxable and applies to specific central government-controlled establishments.
India's new labor codes mandate a 2% annual salary increment for regular contractual workers employed by contractors in central government establishments, effective May 8, 2026. This rule, outlined in Rule 185 of the OSHWC Central Rules, does not apply to direct employees or those in state government establishments.
India's new labour code permits a 4-day workweek, but total weekly hours remain capped at 48. Employees may work up to 12 hours daily. This is optional and state laws may impact implementation.
New labour codes have capped weekly working hours at 48, with overtime paid at double the hourly wage. Final rules for wages and industrial relations codes are out, paving the way for implementation. A National Reskilling Fund will support retrenched workers with new skills, financed by employers.
For employers and employees, understanding how leave works today is not always straightforward. This is because two legal systems operate side by side: the new central labour codes and the older State-level Shops and Establishments (S&E) laws.
Salaried employees in India face uncertainty as companies await final government notifications on new labour codes and tax rules. While organizations have run simulations, widespread implementation remains delayed. The shift towards higher basic pay (50% of CTC) will increase EPF and gratuity contributions, potentially reducing monthly take-home salary but strengthening long-term retirement benefits. New income tax rules effective April 1 have raised tax-exempt limits on children's education and hostel fees, available only under the old regime.
