Labour Acts

There are various types of labour laws in India. In order to protect the interest of the worker, the labour laws came into effect. Since the Indian Constitution has placed labour laws under the Concurrent lists, both State Government and Central Government have been vested with the power to enact labour laws on labour matter and industrial disputes. Labour laws are generally categorised for organised and unorganised sector. There are different types of labour laws in India for different segments of industries.

With the emergence of Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, India witnessed a major change in labour laws. Till now there are around 45 national laws and more than 200 state laws for the purpose of controlling the relationship between a worker and the employer. Labour laws protect the interest of the worker and often prescribe and regulate the condition of workers, fixing of wages along with duration of working hours etc. The Government has appointed inspectors under the labour laws who supervise the workplace and notify any violation of labour laws and often fines the employers for such violation of labour laws. However, in 2008 World Bank stated than Indian labour laws need huge upgradation. Take a look at the various Indian labour laws at a glance hereunder:

1. Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
2. Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948
3. Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970
4. Employees’ Compensation Act, 1923
5. Employees’ Provident Fund & Misc. Provisions Act, 1952
6. Factories Act, 1948
7. Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
8. Minimum Wages Act, 1948
9. Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972
10. Payment of Wages Act, 1936
11. Trade Unions Act, 1926
12. Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013