Labour Laws ,By Taxmann’s Editorial Board

Labour Laws is a comprehensive and meticulously curated compendium of India’s central labour legislation. This Edition is uniquely positioned in the post–Labour Codes era, when major statutes such as the Factories Act, Minimum Wages Act, Payment of Bonus Act, Trade Unions Act and others stand repealed with effect from 21^st November 2025. The book preserves the complete statutory text of all important labour enactments—whether in force or repealed—because they remain essential for transitional compliance, legacy disputes, academic study, and policy interpretation.

The volume is structured into two key divisions:

• Division One – Guide to Labour Laws, offering a grounding in constitutional principles, historical evolution, categories of labour legislation, and the context for the transition to the four Labour Codes
• Division Two – Labour Laws, containing full, updated texts of dozens of labour enactments, each accompanied by a clear arrangement of sections, repeal-status notes, and schedules or forms as applicable

This book is designed for the following audience:

• Labour & Employment Lawyers, industrial relations practitioners, and dispute-resolution professionals
• HR Managers, IR Officers, Factory Managers, and Compliance Teams in manufacturing, services, gig-economy, and corporate sectors
• Government Officers, Labour Commissioners, Inspectors, and Enforcement Authorities
• Trade Unions, Worker Representatives & Employee Associations
• Academicians, Researchers & Students of labour law, industrial relations, social security, and human resource studies
• Companies, Establishments & Startups requiring clarity on applicability, compliance, and statutory obligations

The Present Publication is the 2026 Edition and amended up to 1^st December 2025. This book is edited by Taxmann’s Editorial Board, with the following noteworthy features:

• [Full Spectrum of Central Labour Enactments] The book covers all major legislations, including the Apprentices Act, Factories Act, Industrial Disputes Act, Child & Adolescent Labour Act, Maternity Benefit Act, Payment of Wages Act, Minimum Wages Act, Payment of Bonus Act, Trade Unions Act, and the PoSH Act
• [Clear Identification of Repealed vs. Continuing Laws] Each Act carries a repeal-status note showing which Labour Code now governs the subject area:
  • OSHWC Code replaces the Factories Act
  • Code on Wages replaces Minimum Wages, Payment of Wages, and Payment of Bonus
  • Industrial Relations Code replaces Industrial Disputes Act and Trade Unions Act
• [Detailed Internal Structuring of Each Act] Acts are presented chapter-wise with an ‘Arrangement of Sections’
• [Practical Compliance Tools] The book reproduces statutory forms and schedules, such as:
  • Annual Return (Form I) under the Labour Laws Act 1988; This includes fields for mandays, retrenchments, terminations, wages, accident reporting, and establishment details. These forms make the book actionable for compliance teams.
• [Conceptual Guide] The Guide explains:
  • Constitutional background of labour regulation
  • Historical context and evolution
  • Categories of labour legislation
  • The shift towards consolidation under the Labour Codes

The coverage of the book is as follows:

• Division One – Guide to Labour Laws
  • A foundational exploration covering:
    • Legislative competence under the Constitution
    • Historical development of labour jurisprudence
    • Structure of major labour statutes
    • Overview of wages, safety, social security, employment standards, and industrial relations
    • Policy rationale behind codification
• Division Two – Labour Laws
  • A fully updated statutory library, including:
    • Apprentices Act 1961 with detailed provisions on apprentice qualifications, contracts, training, safety and welfare, hours of work, and obligations of employers and apprentices
    • Child & Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986
    • Factories Act 1948 (retained for reference; repealed by OSHWC Code w.e.f. 21-11-2025)
    • Industrial Disputes Act 1947 (essential for pre-Code litigation and legacy matters)
    • Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946
    • Maternity Benefit Act 1961
    • Minimum Wages Act 1948 (repealed by Code on Wages)
    • Payment of Bonus Act 1965
    • Payment of Wages Act 1936
    • Payment of Gratuity Act 1972
    • Sales Promotion Employees Act 1976
    • Trade Unions Act 1926 (repealed by IR Code)
    • PoSH Act 2013, which remains fully in force
    • Each enactment is supported by its full text, schedules, and statutory arrangements

The book follows a clean, intuitive, and professionally arranged format:

• Conceptual Understanding – Division One sets the constitutional and legislative foundation
• Statutory Reference – Division Two presents all Acts alphabetically with:
  • Arrangement of sections
  • Repeal notes
  • Schedules and statutory forms
  • Updated amendments
• Ease of Navigation – The structure allows:
  • Quick lookups
  • Cross-comparisons between repealed and current regimes
  • Efficient use by HR, lawyers, auditors, and students