Previous Year Question
Which of the following labour related Acts have been amalgamated into the ‘Code on Wages, 2019’?
I. Minimum Wages Act
II. Payment of Bonus Act
III. The Contract Labour Act
IV. Equal Remuneration Act
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Codes:
I and II only
II and III only
I, II and IV only
I, II, III and IV
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
The Code on Wages, 2019 consolidates four major Central labour laws relating to wages, bonus and equal remuneration. Section 69 provides for the repeal of these four laws and the incorporation of the relevant arrangements under the new Code.
Statement I is correct. The Minimum Wages Act, 1948 was amalgamated into the Code on Wages. Its purpose was to provide a framework for fixing minimum wages for workers.
Statement II is correct. The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 was also amalgamated into this Code. It contained provisions relating to payment and calculation of bonus for eligible employees.
Statement III is incorrect. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 was not amalgamated into the Code on Wages, 2019. It was consolidated under the separate Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.
Statement IV is correct. The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 was also amalgamated into the Code on Wages. It dealt with preventing remuneration-related discrimination between men and women for the same work or work of a similar nature.
An important fact is that, in addition to the three Acts mentioned in the question, the Payment of Wages Act, 1936 is the fourth law amalgamated into the Code on Wages.