Labour Code on Wages 2019

THE CODE ON WAGES, 2019 NO. 29 OF 2019

(This act is running 29 pages as per the Gazette Notification)

By enacting this Code The Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 are  repealed

Some Clauses  of  the ACT 

MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE (Legislative Department) New Delhi, the 8th August, 2019/Shravana 17, 1941 (Saka)

The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on the 8th August, 2019, and is hereby published for general information:—

CHAPTER I PRELIMINARY

1.    (1) This Act may be called the Code on Wages, 2019.

2.    (g) "contract labour" means a worker who shall be deemed to be employed in or in connection with the work of an establishment when he is hired in or in connection with such work by or through a contractor, with or without the knowledge of the principal employer and includes inter-State migrant worker but does not include a worker (other than part-time employee) who ––

(i)           is regularly employed by the contractor for any activity of his establishment and his employment is governed by mutually accepted standards of the conditions of employment (including engagement on permanent basis), and

(ii)           (ii) gets periodical increment in the pay, social security coverage and other welfare benefits in accordance with the law for the time being in force in such employment;

(k)  "employee" means, any person (other than an apprentice engaged under the Apprentices Act, 1961), employed on wages by an establishment to do any skilled, semi-skilled or unskilled, manual, operational, supervisory, managerial, administrative, technical or clerical work for hire or reward, whether the terms of employment be express or implied, and also includes a person declared to be an employee by the appropriate Government, but does not include any member of the Armed Forces of the Union;

CHAPTER II MINIMUM WAGES

5. No employer shall pay to any employee wages less than the minimum rate of wages notified by the appropriate Government.

6. (1) Subject to the provisions of section 9, the appropriate Government shall fix the minimum rate of wages payable to employees in accordance with the provisions of section 8.

7. (1) Any minimum rate of wages fixed or revised by the appropriate Government under section 8 may consist of–– (a) a basic rate of wages and an allowance at a rate to be adjusted, at such intervals and in such manner as the appropriate Government may direct, to accord as nearly as practicable with the variation in the cost of living index number applicable to such workers (hereinafter referred to as "cost of living allowance"); or

(b) a basic rate of wages with or without the cost of living allowance, and the cash value of the concessions in respect of supplies of essential commodities at concession rates, where so authorised; or (c) an all-inclusive rate allowing for the basic rate, the cost of living allowance and the cash value of the concessions, if any.

(2) The cost of living allowance and the cash value of the concessions in respect of supplies of essential commodities at concession rate shall be computed by such authority, as the appropriate Government may by notification, appoint, at such intervals and in accordance with such directions as may be specified or given by the appropriate Government from time to time

8. (1) In fixing minimum rates of wages for the first time or in revising minimum rates of wages under this Code, the appropriate Government shall either— (a) appoint as many committees as it considers necessary to hold enquiries and recommend in respect of such fixation or revision, as the case may be; or

(b) by notification publish its proposals for the information of persons likely to be affected thereby and specify a date not less than two months from the date of the notification on which the proposals shall be taken into consideration.

(3) After considering the recommendation of the committee appointed under clause (a) of sub-section (1) or, as the case may be, all representations received by it before the date specified in the notification under clause (b) of that sub-section, the appropriate Government shall by notification fix, or as the case may be, revise the minimum rates of wages and unless such notification otherwise provides, it shall come into force on the expiry of three months from the date of its issue: Provided that where the appropriate Government proposes to revise the minimum rates of wages in the manner specified in clause (b) of sub-section (1), it shall also consult concerned Advisory Board constituted under section 42.

 (4) The appropriate Government shall review or revise minimum rates of wages ordinarily at an interval not exceeding five years

9. (1) The Central Government shall fix floor wage taking into account minimum living standards of a worker in such manner as may be prescribed: Provided that different floor wage may be fixed for different geographical areas.

(3) The Central Government may, before fixing the floor wage under sub-section (1), obtain the advice of the Central Advisory Board constituted under sub-section (1) of section 42 and consult State Governments in such manner as may be prescribed.

13. (1) Where the minimum rates of wages have been fixed under this Code, the appropriate Government may —

 (a) fix the number of hours of work which shall constitute a normal working day inclusive of one or more specified intervals;

(b) provide for a day of rest in every period of seven days which shall be allowed to all employees or to any specified class of employees and for the payment of remuneration in respect of such days of rest;

(c) provide for payment for work on a day of rest at a rate not less than the overtime rate

14. Where an employee whose minimum rate of wages has been fixed under this Code by the hour, by the day or by such a longer wage-period as may be prescribed, works on any day in excess of the number of hours constituting a normal working day, the employer shall pay him for every hour or for part of an hour so worked in excess, at the overtime rate which shall not be less than twice the normal rate of wages

CHAPTER III PAYMENT OF WAGES

15. All wages shall be paid in current coin or currency notes or by cheque or by crediting the wages in the bank account of the employee or by the electronic mode:

Provided that the appropriate Government may, by notification, specify the industrial or other establishment, the employer of which shall pay to every person employed in such industrial or other establishment, the wages only by cheque or by crediting the wages in his bank account

17. (1) The employer shall pay or cause to be paid wages to the employees, engaged on—

 (i) daily basis, at the end of the shift;

(ii) weekly basis, on the last working day of the week, that is to say, before the weekly holiday;

(iii)        fortnightly basis, before the end of the second day after the end of the fortnight;

(iv)         (iv) monthly basis, before the expiry of the seventh day of the succeeding month

CHAPTER IV PAYMENT OF BONUS

26. (1) There shall be paid to every employee, drawing wages not exceeding such amount per mensem, as determined by notification, by the appropriate Government, by his employer, who has put in at least thirty days work in an accounting year, an annual minimum bonus calculated at the rate of eight and one-third per cent. of the wages earned by the employee or one hundred rupees, whichever is higher whether or not the employer has any allocable surplus during the previous accounting year.

(2) For the purpose of calculation of the bonus where the wages of the employee exceeds such amount per mensem, as determined by notification by the appropriate Government, the bonus payable to such employee under sub-sections (1) and (3) shall be

calculated as if his wage were such amount, so determined by the appropriate Government or the minimum wage fixed by the appropriate Government, whichever is higher.

(5) Any demand for bonus in excess of the bonus referred to in sub-section (1), either on the basis of production or productivity in an accounting year for which the bonus is payable shall be determined by an agreement or settlement between the employer and the employees, subject to the condition that the total bonus including the annual minimum bonus referred to in sub-section (1) shall not exceed twenty per cent. of the wages earned by the employee in the accounting year.

CHAPTER VI PAYMENT OF DUES, CLAIMS AND AUDIT

43. Every employer shall pay all amounts required to be paid under this Code to every employee employed by him:

 Provided that where such employer fails to make such payment in accordance with this Code, then, the company or firm or association or any other person who is the proprietor of the establishment, in which the employee is employed, shall be responsible for such payment

50. (1) Every employer of an establishment to which this Code applies shall maintain a register containing the details with regard to persons employed, muster roll, wages and such other details in such manner as may be prescribed.

 (2) Every employer shall display a notice on the notice board at a prominent place of the establishment containing the abstract of this Code, category-wise wage rates of employees, wage period, day or date and time of payment of wages, and the name and address of the Inspector-cum-Facilitator having jurisdiction.

 (3) Every employer shall issue wage slips to the employees in such form and manner as may be prescribed.

CHAPTER VII INSPECTOR-CUM-FACILITATOR

51. (1) The appropriate Government may, by notification, appoint Inspector-cumFacilitators for the purposes of this Code who shall exercise the powers conferred on them under sub-section (4) throughout the State or such geographical limits assigned in relation to one or more establishments situated in such State or geographical limits or in one or more establishments, irrespective of geographical limits, assigned to him by the appropriate Government, as the case may be.

 (2) The appropriate Government may, by notification, lay down an inspection scheme which may also provide for generation of a web-based inspection and calling of information relating to the inspection under this Code electronically

(5) The Inspector-cum-Facilitator may–– (a) advice to employers and workers relating to compliance with the provisions of this Code;

(b) inspect the establishments as assigned to him by the appropriate Government, subject to the instructions or guidelines issued by the appropriate Government from time to time.

CHAPTER VIII OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

52. (1) No court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under this Code, save on a complaint made by or under the authority of the appropriate Government or an officer authorised in this behalf, or by an employee or a registered Trade Union registered under the Trade Unions Act, 1926 or an Inspector-cum-Facilitator.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, no court inferior to that of a Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial Magistrate of the first class shall try the offences under this Code.

54. (1) Any employer who— (a) pays to any employee less than the amount due to such employee under the provisions of this Code shall be punishable with fine which may extend to fifty thousand rupees;

 (b) having been convicted of an offence under clause (a) is again found guilty of similar offence under this clause, within five years from the date of the commission of the first or subsequent offence, he shall, on the second and the subsequent commission of the offence, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees, or with both;

 (c) contravenes any other provision of this Code or any rule made or order made or issued thereunder shall be punishable with fine which may extend to twenty thousand rupees;

(d) having been convicted of an offence under clause (c) is again found guilty of similar offence under this clause, within five years from the date of the commission of the first or subsequent offence, he shall, on the second and the subsequent commission of the offence under this clause, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to forty thousand rupees, or with both.

55. (1) If the person committing an offence under this Code is a company, every person who, at the time the offence was committed was in charge of, and was responsible to the company for the conduct of business of the company, as well as the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly:

Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person liable to any punishment if he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.

CHAPTER IX MISCELLANEOUS

64. Any amount deposited with the appropriate Government by an employer to secure the due performance of a contract with that Government and any other amount due to such employer from that Government in respect of such contract shall not be liable to attachment under any decree or order of any court in respect of any debt or liability incurred by the employer other than any debt or liability incurred by the employer towards any employee employed in connection with the contract aforesaid.

66. Nothing contained in this Code shall be deemed to affect the provisions of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 and the Coal Mines Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1948, or of any scheme made thereunder

67. (4) Every rule made by the Central Government under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions as aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or amendment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.

 (5) Every rule made by the State Government under this section shall, as soon as possible after it is made, be laid before the State Legislature

69. (1) The Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 are hereby repealed.