The four Labour Codes, what changed on 21 November 2025.
The Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code came into force on 21 November 2025, replacing 29 central labour Acts. For payroll, the two changes that matter most: total deductions from a wage period can never exceed 50% of wages, and overtime is 2x the ordinary rate beyond 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week.
Last verified 23 October 2026. research/payroll-india-2026.md (Code on Wages, OSH Code, Central Rules 2026).
| Event | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Monthly wage payment | Before the 7th of the following month |
| Wages on exit (removal, dismissal, retrenchment or resignation) | Within 2 working days (Code on Wages s.17(2)) |
| Deductions cap | 50% of wages in a wage period; excess is carried forward |
| Overtime | 2x the ordinary rate beyond 8 h/day or 48 h/week |
Worth knowing
- Registers: Form I (employee register), Form IV (wages, overtime, advances, fines and deductions) and Form IX (attendance/muster roll), kept for 5 years.
- Wage slip: Form V, issued on or before the payment day; electronic copies are allowed.
- The national floor wage has not been notified as of October 2026.
The four Labour Codes, what changed on 21 November 2025
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Did the Codes change how often wages are paid?
No — a monthly wage period, paid before the 7th of the next month, as before. The Codes standardised the rule across states rather than changing it.
What happens to deductions beyond the 50% cap?
They are carried forward to a later wage period rather than taken in one go, under Rule 13.
See how Comriq People applies this.
Dated rules, read in words on every payslip, with a CA flag where something isn't confirmed yet.