The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, strengthens India’s labour architecture by unifying standards, empowering workers, and enhancing ease of doing business, the government said on Saturday.
It lays the foundation for a safer, fairer, and more productive workforce aligned with India’s vision of inclusive and sustainable growth.
“The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (OSH), 2020, is enacted to consolidate and simplify the existing complex web of labour laws. It replaces 13 Central Labour laws by a single comprehensive legislation, thereby reducing multiplicity and bringing uniformity across industries and states/ UTs. The Code was enacted as a part of the broader labour laws reforms to improve transparency, enhance worker welfare, and promote ease of doing business in India,” an official statement said.
The definition of working journalist has been expanded and now it includes electronic media or digital media journalists and broadens the coverage from print journalism to electronic media (TV, radio, online, etc), making it more contemporary.
“This ensures that journalists are covered for workplace safety, health and welfare measures just like other factories or office workers,” the statement said.
“Every employee will be given appointment letters in the prescribed format specifying the details of the employee, designation, category, details of the wages, details of social security, etc. Appointment letter brings clarity of terms which supports security and benefits access, reduces exploitation and improves job security,” the statement said.
The workers employed in an establishment are entitled for paid leave in a calendar year after working 180 days or more in such a calendar year, earlier workers had to work for 240 days for becoming eligible for paid leave.
Reduction of eligibility from 240 to 180 days, along with flexibility in working hours, ensures enough rest and recovery, improving productivity and job satisfaction.
The Code empowers the courts, upon conviction of an offender for contravention of any duties, to direct that at least 50 per cent of the fine imposed be paid as compensation to the victim in case of serious bodily injury or their legal heirs in case of death.
“The Code balances the twin objectives of safeguarding worker rights and safe working conditions, and creating a business-friendly regulatory environment spurring economic growth and employment, thereby making India’s labour market more efficient, fair, and future-ready,” the statement said.
By streamlining compliance through measures such as single registration, all-India licences, electronic filings, and time-bound approvals. Additionally, the code reduces the number of rules, returns among other subjects to reduce procedural hurdles and encourage investments.