With its diverse culture and rapidly growing economy, India boasts a complex set of labor laws that significantly impact the nation’s working conditions and labor policies. Understanding these laws is vital for businesses and employees in India, especially when dealing with international contracts.
Recognition of the transgender population of India was achieved after the census of 2011. For the first time, the male and female bifurcation was adjusted to include another identification, the “Others.” Although these codes weren’t perfect, they were a step in the right direction. In 2011, these codes recorded 487,803 individuals who did not identify as male or female. This ultimately created space for the Transgender Person’s Act.
Effective since 2017, India revised its labor laws with regards to the provision of maternity leave for the female working population. With an increase from 12 to 26 weeks, the private sector is now on par with the leave amounts granted to women working in the public sector. Even though India has become one of the most progressive countries regarding the provision of maternity benefits, it fails to extend these benefits to women working in the unorganized sector.
No one enjoys getting fired, but what if your country made it difficult for you to get fired without just cause? In this country, companies with more than 100 employees can’t fire an employee without government permission!
In December 2020, the Indian government made some significant changes to the Indian Labor Code.
Forty of the old central laws were replaced with four major labor codes that drew attention to wages of employees, industrial relations, health and safety hazards, as well as social security.