By Adv. Amarjeet Singh, Founder, PRAN – Policy Research Action Network Foundation

Introduction: Labour Beyond Survival

Labour Day 2026 article on labour rights, new labour codes, worker protections, social security, gig workers, and access to labour justice in India by PRAN Foundation.

Labour & Livelihoods lies at the heart of PRAN’s work because work is more than a livelihood; it is dignity, safety, and a fundamental right. On Labour Day 2026, we revisit how India’s new labour codes are reshaping the legal landscape for workers — and how a worker can actually “get justice” when wages are withheld, working conditions are unsafe, or social security is denied.

What changed? From many laws to four codes

India has moved from more than 29 separate labour laws to four unified labour codes:

Code on Wages – guarantees minimum wages and timely payment.
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (OSH&WC) – covers safety, working hours, leaves, and conditions of work.
Industrial Relations Code – governs hiring, retrenchment, strikes, and dispute resolution.
Code on Social Security – expands provident fund, ESIC, gratuity, maternity benefits, and other protections to a wider group of workers.

This shift aims to simplify compliance, reduce overlaps, and bring more workers under a single legal framework, especially in the informal and gig economy.

Key legal rights under the new codes

1. Right to minimum and timely wages

Every worker has a statutory right to minimum wage, regardless of industry, contract type, or sector. Wages must be paid within a fixed time limit, usually by the beginning of the following month for many establishments.

Unauthorised deductions, delayed wages, and “off‑the‑books” payments are clear violations that can be challenged before labour authorities or through online grievance systems such as the SAMADHAN Portal (https://samadhan.labour.gov.in), the Ministry of Labour & Employment’s official platform for labour‑related grievances and disputes.

2. Regulated working hours and overtime

The OSH & WC Code standardises:

Maximum 8–12 hours per day and 48 hours per week of work.
Consent‑based overtime, paid at at least double the normal wage.

Workers can claim back‑wages for unpaid overtime through labour inspectors, local labour offices, or by filing a complaint on the SAMADHAN portal for relevant wage‑related issues.

Every worker becomes eligible for paid annual leave after 180 days of continuous work in a year. The Code on Social Security expands coverage of PF, ESIC, gratuity, and maternity benefits to groups that were often left out, including:

Contract workers
Migrant workers
Gig and platform workers

Through centralised schemes and digital registration, the law aims to extend social security beyond factory gates to streets, platforms, and construction sites.

4. Women workers and night shifts

Women can work night shifts if they consent and the employer provides safe transport and adequate safety measures. Employers are under a stronger obligation to ensure safe working environments, separate facilities where needed, and protection against harassment.

The new codes also reinforce maternity benefits and related protections, which can be claimed through employer records, labour offices, or the SAMADHAN portal for cases of non‑payment or denial of maternity benefits.

5. Protection against unfair termination and disputes

The Industrial Relations Code sets clear conditions for retrenchment, lay‑off, and closure, including higher thresholds for prior government permission in many cases. It also strengthens grievance‑redressal mechanisms and introduces provisions for re‑skilling of retrenched workers.

Workers have the right to representation, grievance‑redressal committees, and access to conciliation and adjudication through labour offices and labour courts. They can also file industrial‑dispute‑related claims on the SAMADHAN portal for faster, trackable redressal.

How can a worker get justice? Practical steps

Justice under the new codes is not just about going to court; it begins with using the right channels at the right time, including the SAMADHAN online grievance system.

1. Identify the violation clearly

Before filing any complaint, a worker should collect:

Proof of employment (offer letter, appointment letter, ID, SMS, or bank credits).
Evidence of the violation: unpaid wages, illegal deductions, unpaid overtime, denial of PF/ESIC, forced resignation, or denial of maternity benefit.

Keeping even simple records (dates, amounts, and names of supervisors) can make a big difference in strengthening a case, including when submitting a claim on SAMADHAN.

2. Use the SAMADHAN online grievance portal

The Ministry of Labour & Employment runs the SAMADHAN Portal (https://samadhan.labour.gov.in) as a national, single‑window platform for labour‑related grievances and industrial disputes.

On SAMADHAN, workers can raise issues related to:

Delay or non‑payment of wages
Unauthorised deductions
Non‑payment of minimum wage
Non‑payment of overtime allowance
Non‑payment of gratuity
Non‑payment of maternity benefits and certain other statutory allowances.

To file a complaint:

Visit https://samadhan.labour.gov.in and choose your preferred language (English/Hindi).
Register as an individual worker, trade union, or management.
Select the type of dispute or claim, enter basic details (name, employer, nature of grievance), and upload supporting documents.
Submit the form and save the reference number to track your case online.

The SAMADHAN portal also links to related services such as EPFO and ESIC grievance systems, helping workers route their complaints to the correct authority.

3. Approach the labour inspector or labour office

Workers or their unions can also approach the concerned labour inspector or Assistant Labour Commissioner / Labour Officer and file a representative claim. The labour inspector can:

Initiate conciliation between the worker and employer.
Visit the workplace, inspect records, and facilitate settlements.

If disputes remain unresolved, the matter can be referred to a Labour Court or Industrial Tribunal for formal adjudication. In many cases, the same facts can simultaneously be reflected in a SAMADHAN online complaint for added visibility and tracking.

4. Use consumer and civil remedies where applicable

In many cases, unfair treatment by employers or service contractors can be treated as a deficiency in service under the Consumer Protection Act, especially when contractual obligations are violated and workers suffer financial harm.

PRAN’s Expert Desk regularly helps workers and groups understand which forum to use — labour courts, consumer commissions, civil courts, or the SAMADHAN portal — depending on the facts and the relief sought.

5. Strengthen collective voice through unions and associations

The new codes retain the right to form unions, bargain collectively (within the revised framework), and participate in dispute‑resolution mechanisms.

Collective action, backed by legal awareness, solidarity, and evidence, is one of the most powerful tools to prevent violations before they happen and to secure fair working conditions and social security. Union‑level grievances can also be escalated through the SAMADHAN system to ensure faster resolution at the national level.

Labour & Livelihoods: PRAN’s commitment

At PRAN, Labour & Livelihoods is not just a policy area; it is a commitment to turn legal rights into lived reality for workers in both formal and informal sectors. On Labour Day 2026, we reaffirm that:

Every worker has the right to know their entitlements under the new labour codes.
Every worker has the right to seek and obtain justice without fear of retaliation, including through online tools like the SAMADHAN portal.
Civil society and organisations like PRAN must continue to bridge the gap between law and enforcement, especially for women, informal‑sector workers, and migrant workers.

If you or a group of workers are facing wage violations, contract‑labour exploitation, or denial of social security, you can reach out to PRAN for:

Legal guidance on which forum to approach (SAMADHAN portal, labour office, consumer commission, or courts).
Support in preparing complaints and documentation in simple language.
Advocacy inputs to strengthen local and national enforcement of labour codes.

On this Labour Day, let us commit to building a country where every worker stands equal before the law — and every law is enforced in the worker’s favour.

About PRAN Foundation

Policy Research Action Network Foundation (PRAN) is a Section 8 non-profit organization working to advance justice, accountability, policy awareness, consumer rights, labour protections, and public interest advocacy across India.

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Labour Day 2026: Labour Rights, New Labour Codes, and the Struggle for Justice in India