Gig Workers And Platform Workers: The Code On Social Security 2020

The new Code on Social Security, 2020 (“Code”). The Code will replace nine legislations which provided social security to the employees like Maternity Benefit Act, Employees' Provident Fund Act, Employees' Pension Scheme, Employees' Compensation Act, among others. The Code aims to provide uniformity in providing social security benefits to the employees which was earlier segregated under different acts and had different applicability and coverage. The Code also aims to provide social security to a wider group of employees as the code has recognized and covered workers working in the unorganized sector. Several new concepts such as gig workers, platform workers, fixed term employee etc. have been coined which were previously not recognized under any labour legislation. The Government has also published draft rules framed under the Code. Through this article we would like to discuss the new concepts and the benefits provided to them under the Code.