⚖️ Recent & Emerging Legal Developments

1. Labour Code Rollout & Gig Economy Inclusion

• Four landmark labour codes (Wages; Social Security; Industrial Relations; OSH Code) are being phased in. States must finalize rules by March 31, 2025 Wisemonk+2L&E Global+2The Economic Times+2.

• Codes expand coverage to gig/platform workers, offering formal social security Worklaw® Network+15L&E Global+15Wisemonk+15.

• Karnataka’s new cess (1–5%) funds gig workers’ welfare—may affect app-service costs The Times of India+9AP News+9The Times of India+9.

2. Strategic Social Security & Compliance Schemes

• ESIC SPREE 2025 offers amnesty for unregistered employers (valid July–Dec 2025) The Times of India.

• The Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme (Aug 1, 2025–Jul 31, 2027) will boost hiring and social security contributions The Economic Times+1The Times of India+1.

3. State-Level Labour Law Alignments

• Tripura restricts women working night shifts without permissions and safeguards dentonslinklegal.com+1Legal Eye+1.

• Haryana rescinded Contract Labour notifications and updated EPFO processes The Times of India+2dentonslinklegal.com+2The Times of India+2.

• Punjab amended the Shops & Establishments Act: no registration needed for <20 employees, expanded overtime rules, and faster grievance resolution .

4. Wage and Social Security Norms

• Minimum wage increases in Punjab, Haryana, and other states due to CPI hikes; employers must pay arrears .

• The Code on Wages (2019) standardizes definitions and equal pay provisions The Economic Times+6Wisemonk+6Wikipedia+6.

• The Code on Social Security (2020) expands benefits to previously excluded sectors under EPF/ESI/etc. .

5. Health & Safety at Workplaces

• The OSH Code (2020) will replace multiple safety-related Acts, and awareness is growing across high-risk sectors .

• Enhanced OSH provisions in April 2025 tackled UN-safe conditions and better procedural architecture.

6. White-Collar Worker Protections

• Maharashtra and Karnataka are reviewing white-collar workplace safety following a tragic EY case, spotlighting long work hours .

7. Labour Unrest & Reform Resistance

• A national strike (“Bharat Bandh”) on July 9, 2025 opposed privatization and new labour reforms .