Centre working on gig-worker welfare blueprint

The Union labour ministry is drafting a national framework under the recently notified Labour Codes to set uniform social security standards and prevent conflicting state rules for millions of platform-based gig workers, according to official sources.

- SHIVA RAJORA

“Gig work is highly flexible and mobile in nature. Workers usually work with multiple platforms and at several locations. Instead of dealing of state laws, platform aggregators are asking the Centre to come up with a national framework on providing social security to them as they also have operations across multiple locations,” said a source.

The recently notified Code on Social Security, 2020, recognises platform-based gig workers for the first time in the country and provides for the framing of welfare schemes covering health, pension, education and disability cover, among other things.