Protection Of The Rights Of Gig Workers

Questions

1. The reasons for the gig workers not being categorized as unorganized labour along with the future provisions to protecttheir rights;
2. Whether there is any grievance redressal mechanism for safeguarding their rights, if not, the reasons therefor;
3. The manner in which the responsibility between the Central Government and aggregators has been divided under the Codes on Social Security Bill, 2020 for the gig workers; and
4. The streamlined guidelines across private companies for the job security of these workers?

Answered by: Shri Rameswar Teli (Minister of State for Labour and Employment) on 06.04.2023.

ANSWER

a) The Code on Social Security, 2020, for the first time, defines gig worker, which means a person who works or participates in a work arrangement and earns from such activities outside of traditional employer-employee relationship.

b) The Code on Social Security, 2020 also envisages that the appropriate Government may set up a toll free call centre or helpline or such facilitation centres, for unorganised workers, gig workers and platform workers, as may be considered necessary from time to time to disseminate information on available social security schemes, facilitate filing, processing and forwarding of application forms for their registration, assist them to obtain registration, and to facilitate their enrolment in the social security schemes.

(c) & (d): The Code on Social Security, 2020 enables Central Government to set up of Social Security Fund, frame scheme for unorganised workers, gig workers and platform workers and the members of their families for providing benefits admissible by the Corporation, set up a toll free call centre or helpline or such facilitation centres and Registration of unorganised workers, gigworkers and platform workers, etc. Further, the Code envisages framing of suitable social security schemes by Central Government for such workers on matters relating to life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, etc. Every scheme framed and notified by the Central Government may provide for the role of aggregators in the scheme. Further, contribution from aggregator between 1 to 2% of annual turnover of an aggregator subject to the limit of 5% of the amount paid or payable by an aggregator to such workers is envisaged in the Social Security Fund, as one of the sources of fund.

However, no scheme has been finalized as the provisions under the Code relating to gig and platform workers have not come into force.