Masterclass Series: Categorization of Workers, Employees, Fixed Term Employees & Contract Labour and Core Activity

On 21 November 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Employment officially made four major labour codes effective. The Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, collectively replace 29 (twenty-nine) older central labour laws. The Central Government published the draft central rules for all four codes on 30 December 2025 as well as clarifications by way of code specific frequently asked question

After Part-1 on computation of wages and gratuity, Part-2 of this Masterclass series will analyse the different categories of personnel identified under the Labour Codes. This session will cover the following aspects:
 

• Discussion on the definition of ‘Employees’ and ‘Workers’ under the new Labour Codes
• Understanding the new categories of personnel covered under the codes: Gig workers, platform workers and fixed term employees.
• Discussion on the definition of ‘contract labour’, the meaning of ‘core’ activities and the prohibition on engagement of contract labour in such activities 
   

Speakers - 
 

L. Badri Narayanan, Executive Partner, LKS

Noorul Hassan, Executive Partner, LKS

Asish Philip, Executive Partner, LKS

Paritosh Chauhan, Partner, LKS