Navigating the New Labour Codes

The new Labour Codes, effective November 2025, mark a comprehensive overhaul of India’s employment laws. HR professionals, especially in SMEs and growing enterprises, must act decisively to comply and leverage streamlined regulations. Below is a focused checklist and to-do list that highlights urgent employer responsibilities, demonstrating Mintskill HR Solutions LLP’s deep expertise on this critical subject.

Employer Compliance Checklist Under New Labour Codes

• Audit Workforce Categories:
• Identify all workers including gig, platform, contract, fixed-term, and interstate migrant workers.
• Reclassify employees where necessary based on new definitions.
• Issue Mandatory Appointment Letters:
• Provide detailed written appointment letters specifying wages, roles, duties, working hours, and social security benefits to every worker.
• Implement Universal Minimum Wages:
• Review pay structures; ensure no employee receives wages below state-mandated minimum or national floor wage.
• Social Security Registration and Contributions:
• Register with EPFO and ESIC if applicable.
• Cover all eligible workers, including those in hazardous roles, gig and platform workers.
• Remit contributions accurately, with platform aggregators contributing 1-2% of turnover.
• Overtime and Working Hours Compliance:
• Limit regular working hours to 8 per day and 48 per week.
• Ensure overtime is voluntary and compensated at double the wage rate.
• Workplace Safety and Health Provisions:
• Form safety committees if headcount exceeds 500.
• Conduct risk assessments and provide PPE in hazardous workplaces.
• Ensure free annual medical checkups for employees, especially aged 40 and above.
• Provide crèches if workforce size mandates.
• Contract Labour Management:
• Monitor contractors for wage payment compliance.
• Provide welfare facilities for contract labourers and pay them directly in case of contractor default.
• Gender and Inclusion Enhancements:
• Permit women to work night shifts with consent and safety measures.
• Maintain gender-neutral policies, including equal pay and protections for transgender workers.
• Migrant Worker Compliance:
• Maintain proper documentation (appointment letters, travel allowance).
• Facilitate social security portability and health benefits.
• Industrial Relations Adjustments:
• Note increased threshold for prior approval on layoffs/closures (from 100 to 300 employees).
• Budget for reskilling funds for retrenched employees.

How Mintskill HR Solutions LLP Supports You

Navigating these complex changes requires expert guidance and robust operational support. Mintskill HR Solutions LLP offers:

• Expert Consulting on regulatory updates and impact tailored to your business size and sector.
• Policy and Contract Design that ensures legal compliance and workforce clarity.
• Payroll and Compliance Services integrated with new codes for accurate wage, benefits, and reporting management.
• Executive Search and Recruitment focused on aligning skills with strategic organizational needs amidst regulatory changes.
• Training and Development programs to keep your HR teams and leadership updated and proactive.
• Organizational Structuring and Workforce Planning to optimize staffing under new labor dynamics.

Mintskill’s holistic HR solutions mitigate compliance risks while helping you attract and retain top talent in an evolving labor landscape.

For HR leaders and CHROs in SMEs seeking a strategic partner to turn regulatory challenges into opportunities, Mintskill HR Solutions LLP stands ready with deep knowledge, industry expertise, and cutting-edge technology.

Here is a prioritized 90-day to-do list for SMEs to effectively comply with India's new Labour Codes, organized in three phases for smooth implementation and compliance:

First 30 Days: Foundation and Immediate Compliance

• Conduct a workforce audit to identify all employee categories including gig, contract, fixed-term, and migrant workers.
• Issue written appointment letters to all workers specifying roles, wages, duties, and social security entitlements.
• Review and update salary structures to align with state minimum wages and national floor wage.
• Register for statutory social security schemes (EPFO, ESIC) and confirm registrations for all eligible employees.
• Begin documenting working hours, overtime records, and wage payment cycles to ensure timely payments.
• Communicate new labor code changes and compliance requirements to HR and payroll teams.
• Initiate safety compliance reviews, especially for hazardous work sites; form safety committees if over 500 employees.

Days 31-60: Process Integration and Training

• Implement updated payroll processes to comply with wage payment timelines and social security contributions.
• Establish systems to manage overtime approvals and payments at double rates with employee consent.
• Develop protocols for monitoring contract labor compliance including wage payments and welfare.
• Update HR policies addressing women’s night shift work, fixed-term employment benefits, and migrant worker rights.
• Initiate training for HR, line managers and finance teams on compliance requirements and reporting.
• Begin social security benefit enrollment for gig and platform workers.
• Conduct a safety audit and launch employee health checkups and welfare initiatives.

Days 61-90: Monitoring, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement

• Set up internal audit mechanisms for compliance verification across labour code provisions.
• Prepare and submit required compliance reports to labor authorities under the new codes.
• Review industrial relations practices, including new thresholds for layoffs and retrenchments.
• Finalize and communicate grievance redressal mechanisms and worker welfare programs.
• Assess effectiveness of new recruitment, retention, and reskilling strategies.
• Plan for periodic compliance reviews and refresher trainings.
• Engage with external HR consultants or compliance experts (such as Mintskill HR Solutions LLP) for strategic support if needed.

By following this phased and prioritized approach, SMEs can systematically integrate labor code reforms into their HR and compliance frameworks, minimizing risk and fostering a compliant and motivated workforce.

Mintskill HR Solutions LLP offers expert consulting and hands-on support throughout this 90-day journey—helping you audit, restructure, train, and comply efficiently while aligning HR strategy to your business goals and regulatory requirements.

This actionable 90-day plan translates regulatory complexity into clear priorities and manageable tasks, designed for the dynamic pace and capacity of SMEs in India.

Let Mintskill be your trusted partner in achieving seamless compliance and future-ready HR excellence. For HR Advisory information and support write to us at [email protected]