Notification Record & Forms
Notification details and the forms every employer needs, in one place.
- Issuing authority
- Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India
- Notified
- 8 May 2026, vide notification number G.S.R. 342(E)
- Objection window
- The draft rules were published on 30 December 2025 under G.S.R. 930(E), and the public was given 30 days from that date to send objections and suggestions
- Legal basis
- Section 99 of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (Act No. 35 of 2020)
- Supersedes
- The Industrial Disputes (Central) Rules, 1957, to the extent they relate to Part II and Parts V to VIII, and the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Central Rules, 1946, to the extent they relate to matters now covered by these rules
- Current status
- In force since 8 May 2026
The Ministry of Labour and Employment notified the Industrial Relations (Central) Rules, 2026 on 8 May 2026, consolidating the rules made under the Trade Unions Act, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act and the Industrial Disputes Act into a single framework under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. These rules are already in force.
Employers need to understand the forms to file, the due dates to track, the Works Committee and Grievance Redressal Committee requirements, and the penalties for non-compliance under the parent Code.
Forms under the State Rules
Due Dates
Compliance deadlines, forms and how often each one recurs.
| Compliance | Form | Compliance Frequency | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Give notice of change in service conditions | Form IV | As and when a change is intended | Before the change takes effect, with a copy displayed and sent to the concerned trade union |
| Transfer contribution to the worker re skilling fund | Not applicable | Every time a worker is retrenched | Within ten days of the retrenchment |
| Send retrenchment notice to Central Government | Form XIII | As and when retrenchment occurs | Within three days of notice served on the worker, or at least one month before an agreed termination date |
| Send closure notice to Central Government | Form XIII | As and when closure is intended | At least sixty days before the date of intended closure |
| Apply for permission to retrench, larger establishments | Form XIV | As and when retrenchment is intended | At least sixty days before the intended date of retrenchment |
| Apply for permission to close, larger establishments | Form XIV | As and when closure is intended | At least ninety days before the intended date of closure |
| Deposit the compounding amount for an offence | Form XV | As and when applicable | Within fifteen days of receiving the compounding notice |
Key Provisions
What changed under the Code, and what it means for payroll.
Old Law vs. New Law
What employers followed before, against what applies now — point matched against point.
| On this point | Before — earlier law | Now — the new Code |
|---|---|---|
| Number of governing rules | Two separate older rule sets, the Industrial Disputes (Central) Rules 1957 and the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Central Rules 1946 | One consolidated set of rules, the Industrial Relations (Central) Rules, 2026 |
| Filing of notices and applications | Largely paper based filing under the older rules | Notices and applications can be filed electronically through a designated portal, alongside speed post and in person options |
| Recognition of trade unions | No single central formula, and practices varied across states and establishments | A clear threshold under Rule 9, a single registered trade union with at least thirty percent membership gets automatic recognition as the sole negotiating union |
| Standing orders | Employers drafted and got standing orders certified individually under the 1946 rules | Ready made Model Standing Orders for 2026 are available for the mining, manufacturing and service sectors, adoptable by simple notice to the certifying officer |
| Retrenchment and closure notices | Notice periods and formats followed the Industrial Disputes Rules 1957 | Standardised Form XIII and Form XIV notices apply, with clear day counts such as sixty days for a closure notice and ninety days for closure permission in larger establishments |
| Support for retrenched workers | No dedicated re skilling fund mechanism existed | A new worker re skilling fund under Rule 37 requires employers to transfer fifteen days of wages for every retrenched worker within ten days of retrenchment |
Applicability
Who the Code covers, and who gets special or exempt treatment.
Covered
- Industrial establishments and their workers where the Code applies, including works committees and grievance redressal committees
- Establishments with fifty or more workers, subject to lay off and retrenchment compensation rules under Chapter IX of the Code
- Registered trade unions seeking recognition as a negotiating union or as part of a negotiating council
Exempted / special treatment
- Establishments employing fewer than twenty workers are not required to set up a Grievance Redressal Committee under Rule 6
- Establishments with three hundred or more workers additionally need prior government permission for lay off, retrenchment or closure under Chapter X
- A trade union that fails to furnish membership information within one month of being asked is treated as if it does not exist for that recognition process
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what employers ask us most about this rule.
What is the Industrial Relations (Central) Rules, 2026?
It is a set of central rules notified by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on 8 May 2026 to implement the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. It covers settlements, works committees, trade union recognition, standing orders, strikes, lock outs, lay off, retrenchment and closure.
When did these rules come into force?
The rules came into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette, which is 8 May 2026.
Which older rules do these rules replace?
They replace parts of the Industrial Disputes (Central) Rules, 1957 and parts of the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Central Rules, 1946.
How many workers are needed on the Works Committee?
A Works Committee can have up to twenty members, and the number of worker representatives cannot be less than the number of employer representatives.
When must an establishment set up a Grievance Redressal Committee?
Any industrial establishment employing twenty or more workers must set up a Grievance Redressal Committee with equal representation of the employer and workers, up to a maximum of ten members.
What membership share does a trade union need for automatic recognition?
Under Rule 9, if only one registered trade union exists in an establishment and it has at least thirty percent of the workers as members, the employer must recognise it as the sole negotiating union.
When must an employer give notice before retrenching a worker?
Under Rule 27, the timing depends on the situation, generally within three days of the notice served on the worker, or at least one month before an agreed termination date.
How much notice is needed before closing a larger industrial establishment?
Under Rule 35, an employer must apply for permission at least ninety days before the intended date of closure for establishments covered by Chapter X of the Code.
What is the worker re skilling fund?
Under Rule 37, an employer must transfer an amount equal to fifteen days of the last drawn wages of every retrenched worker into a re skilling fund within ten days of the retrenchment.
Can an employer settle an offence without going to court?
Yes. Under Rule 38, an accused person can apply to a compounding officer and pay the compounding amount within fifteen days of receiving notice.
What happens if an employer carries out lay off, retrenchment or closure without required permission?
Under Section 86 of the Code, the employer can be fined up to Rupees 10,00,000 for a first offence, with higher fines or imprisonment for repeat offences.
Is a Model Standing Order available for every employer?
Yes. The rules provide Model Standing Orders, 2026 for the mining, manufacturing and service sectors, which an employer can adopt directly by informing the certifying officer.
How is a strike or lock out reported?
A notice of strike is given in Form XI and a notice of lock out is given in Form XII, both served on the other party and copied to the concerned conciliation officer and the Chief Labour Commissioner.
Are state governments also making their own rules under the Industrial Relations Code?
Yes. Since labour is a subject both the central and state governments can legislate on, states are separately notifying their own rules alongside these central rules.
Sources
Where every fact on this page comes from.
- → Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3(i), Notification G.S.R. 342(E) dated 8 May 2026, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India (official)
- → The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (Act No. 35 of 2020), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India (official)
- → Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Labour and Employment, press release dated 21 November 2025 on the four Labour Codes coming into effect (official)
For informational purposes only — not legal advice. State rules referenced here are subject to change on final notification. Verify current status with our compliance team before acting.