Four Labour Codes 2020 — Set 7
Labour Laws · चार श्रम संहिताएं 2020 · Questions 61–70 of 200
Who chairs the Second National Labour Commission whose recommendations led to labour code consolidation?
Correct Answer: B. Ravindra Varma
The Second National Labour Commission (2002) was chaired by Ravindra Varma, a former Union Minister of Labour. It submitted its report recommending consolidation of labour laws into four or five groups based on subject matter. The commission's key suggestion was to simplify the regulatory framework while maintaining worker protections, which became the basis for the four Labour Codes.
Which Labour Code abolished the Equal Remuneration Act 1976?
Correct Answer: B. Code on Wages
The Equal Remuneration Act 1976 was abolished and its provisions were absorbed into the Code on Wages 2019. The code now mandates equal wages for men and women performing the same or similar work. It also prohibits gender discrimination in recruitment for the same type of work in an establishment.
Which Labour Code replaced the Maternity Benefit Act 1961?
Correct Answer: C. Code on Social Security
The Maternity Benefit Act 1961 is one of the nine laws consolidated under the Code on Social Security 2020. The maternity benefit provisions, including 26 weeks of paid maternity leave for women with fewer than two children, are retained in the new code. The code also extends maternity benefit provisions to certain categories of workers previously excluded.
What is the main criticism of raising the layoff/retrenchment threshold to 300 workers under the Industrial Relations Code?
Correct Answer: B. It weakens job security for workers in mid-sized firms
Critics of the Industrial Relations Code 2020 argue that raising the threshold for prior government permission for layoff and retrenchment from 100 to 300 workers weakens job security for workers in mid-sized firms. Workers in establishments with 101-299 employees can now be retrenched without government approval, which trade unions argue makes jobs more precarious. Proponents argue it gives employers necessary flexibility to adjust workforce size.
The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970 is merged under which Labour Code?
Correct Answer: D. Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code
The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970 is one of the 13 laws merged under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020. This law regulated the employment of contract labour and the conditions of work in establishments using contract workers. The OSHWC Code retains its provisions while extending welfare benefits to contract workers.
Under the OSHWC Code, what new method is permitted for issuing appointment letters to migrant workers?
Correct Answer: C. Audio-visual means
The OSHWC Code 2020 permits the use of audio-visual means to issue appointment letters to inter-state migrant workers, recognising the challenges in issuing traditional paper documents to mobile workers. This provision acknowledges that migrant workers may not always have fixed addresses and that digital or audio-visual communication can be more accessible. It is a step towards modernising labour administration.
Under the Code on Wages, what happens if a state fixes minimum wages below the Central Government's floor wage?
Correct Answer: B. The floor wage automatically applies
The Code on Wages provides that no state can fix minimum wages below the floor wage set by the Central Government. If a state's existing minimum wage is higher than the floor wage, the higher state wage continues to apply. The floor wage serves as the national minimum safety net, ensuring workers in all states receive at least a basic level of remuneration.
Which of the following is a key feature distinguishing the OSHWC Code from earlier laws?
Correct Answer: B. It consolidates 13 separate laws into one framework
A defining feature of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020 is its consolidation of 13 separate central laws into a single framework. This includes laws governing factories, mines, construction workers, dock workers, contract labour, and inter-state migrant workers. Consolidation reduces the compliance burden by providing a single registration, inspection, and penalty framework.
The Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act 1979 is consolidated under which Labour Code?
Correct Answer: D. Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code
The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act 1979 is one of the 13 laws consolidated under the OSHWC Code 2020. The new code expands coverage by redefining migrant workers to include those hired for any type of work (not just seasonal or construction). It also allows self-registration by migrant workers on a portal.
The four Labour Codes were passed between which years?
Correct Answer: C. 2019-2020
The four Labour Codes were passed between 2019 and 2020. The Code on Wages was passed in August 2019, while the Industrial Relations Code, Code on Social Security, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code were all passed in September 2020. All four codes together represent the most comprehensive reform of India's labour regulatory framework since Independence.