Notification Record & Forms
Notification details and the forms every employer needs, in one place.
- Issuing authority
- Department of Labour, Chandigarh Administration
- Notified
- Draft published 28 December 2021
- Objection window
- 45 days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette, as required under Section 158 of the Code on Social Security 2020
- Legal basis
- Sections 154 and 156 of the Code on Social Security 2020 (Central Act No. 36 of 2020)
- Supersedes
- 5 earlier Chandigarh laws: the Maternity Benefit Rules 1974, the Payment of Gratuity Rules 1972, the Building and Other Construction Workers Rules 2008, the Unorganized Workers Social Security Rules 2018 and the Workman's Compensation Rules 1924
- Current Status
- Still a draft, final notification not confirmed
The Chandigarh Administration released the draft Code on Social Security (Chandigarh) Rules 2021 to give local shape to the central Code on Social Security 2020 within the Union Territory. Once finally notified, these Rules will replace five older Chandigarh laws covering gratuity, maternity benefit, construction worker welfare, unorganized worker social security and employee compensation with one rulebook. This guide walks employers in Chandigarh through what the draft Rules require today and what to expect once they take final effect.
Forms under the State Rules
Due Dates
Compliance deadlines, forms and how often each one recurs.
| Compliance | Form | Compliance Frequency | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register the establishment | Form XIII (Rule 21(1)) | One time | Within 30 days from the date of notification of compulsory insurance under Section 57(1) |
| Issue notice admitting or rejecting a gratuity claim | Form VIII (Rule 20(2)(i)) | Event based | Within 15 days of receiving the gratuity application |
| Pay admitted gratuity | Not applicable (Rule 20(2)(i)(a)) | Event based | On or before the 30th day after receiving the application |
| Pay cess for a completed construction project | Not applicable (Rule 34(1)) | Event based | Within 30 days of completing the project, or 30 days from when assessment is finished, whichever is earlier |
| Pay cess for a project running beyond one year | Not applicable (Rule 34(2)) | Annual | Within 30 days of completing each year of the project |
| Deposit funeral expenses on the death of an employee | Not applicable (Rule 24) | Event based | Along with compensation, on the death of the employee due to a work injury |
| Maintain the notice book of accidents | Form XVI (Rule 26) | Ongoing | Maintained on a continuous basis |
| Submit statement of a fatal accident | Form XVII (Rule 28) | Event based | As soon as the fatal accident occurs and is reported |
| Maintain the register of women employees | Form XXI (Rule 39(1)(a)) | Ongoing | Maintained on a continuous basis |
| Preserve records under Chapter V | Not applicable (Rule 39(2)(a)) | Ongoing | Preserved for 3 years from the date of preparation |
| File the unified annual return | Form XXII (Rule 39(3)(a)) | Annual | On or before 1 February every year |
| Deposit the compounding amount | Form XXIII Part III (Rule 40(2)) | Event based | Within 15 days of receiving the compounding notice |
| Report a vacancy to the Career Centre | Form XXIV (Rule 41(3)(b)) | Event based | At least 15 days before the last date for receiving applications |
| File the yearly Employment Information Return | Form XXV (Rule 41(6)) | Annual | Within 30 days of 31 March every year |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Governing framework | Five separate Chandigarh laws covering gratuity, maternity benefit, construction workers and unorganized workers | One consolidated Code on Social Security (Chandigarh) Rules 2021 covering all these areas |
| Gratuity claims | Filed under the standalone Payment of Gratuity (Chandigarh) Rules 1972 | Filed in Form VII under Rule 20 of the new Rules, with a defined 15 day response window for the employer |
| Establishment registration | Registration requirements sat scattered across different laws depending on the scheme | Single electronic registration in Form XIII under Rule 21, tied to the compulsory insurance notification |
| Construction worker welfare | Governed by the Chandigarh Building and Other Construction Workers Rules 2008 | Continued under Part II of Chapter II of the new Rules, with the same Welfare Board retained |
| Unorganized worker social security | Governed by the Chandigarh Unorganized Workers Social Security Rules 2018 | Continued under Part I of Chapter II, funded through the new Chandigarh Social Security Fund under Rule 42 |
| Employee compensation | Governed by the Workman's Compensation Rules 1924 | Continued under Chapter VI, with the funeral expense deposit fixed at 15000 rupees or the notified amount under Rule 24 |
| Maternity benefit disputes | Governed by the Chandigarh Maternity Benefit Rules 1974 | Continued under Chapter V, with complaints going to the Inspector cum Facilitator in Form XIV and appeal in Form XV |
| Employment vacancy reporting | Not covered by any of the five earlier Chandigarh laws | New requirement under Chapter XII, employers report vacancies to the Career Centre in Form XXIV and file yearly returns in Form XXV |
| Compounding of offences | No dedicated compounding mechanism existed across the five earlier laws | New compounding procedure under Rule 40, letting a first time offence be settled within 15 days |
Applicability
Who the Code covers, and who gets special or exempt treatment.
Covered
- Every establishment in the Union Territory of Chandigarh employing persons covered under the Code on Social Security 2020, including factories, shops, commercial establishments and construction sites
- Every employer required to pay gratuity, maternity benefit, employee compensation or cess for building and construction work
- Women employees claiming maternity benefit or disputing a withheld benefit before the Inspector cum Facilitator
- Contractors and principal employers engaging inter State migrant or contract labour within Chandigarh
- Employers filing vacancy information under Chapter XII of the Code
- Members and officers of the Unorganized Workers Board and the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board
Exempted / special treatment
- Establishments that fall below the worker threshold fixed for compulsory insurance under Section 57(1) of the Code
- Government establishments already covered by an equivalent statutory scheme, where the appropriate Government notifies exemption under Section 143 of the Code
- Not applicable, maternity benefit provisions apply uniformly across covered establishments
- Special treatment where an inter State migrant worker's home State already covers the same period of employment
- Establishments below the worker count notified by the Chandigarh Administration for private sector vacancy reporting
- Ex officio members are not subject to the three year term limit that applies to nominated members
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what employers ask us most about this rule.
Is the Code on Social Security (Chandigarh) Rules 2021 already in force?
No, it remains a draft. It was published on 28 December 2021 for objections and suggestions, and a final notification could not be confirmed as of August 2026.
Which older Chandigarh laws will these Rules replace?
Once finally notified, they will repeal the Chandigarh Maternity Benefit Rules 1974, the Payment of Gratuity (Chandigarh) Rules 1972, the Chandigarh Building and Other Construction Workers Rules 2008, the Chandigarh Unorganized Workers Social Security Rules 2018 and the Workman's Compensation Rules 1924.
Who is the competent authority for gratuity disputes in Chandigarh?
The Chandigarh Administration will appoint an officer as the competent authority under Section 58(1) of the Code, who handles gratuity notices, direction applications and recovery applications.
How soon must an employer respond to a gratuity application?
Within 15 days of receiving the application in Form VII, the employer must issue a notice in Form VIII either admitting the claim with the amount payable or explaining why it is rejected.
What happens if an employer fails to pay gratuity within the time fixed?
The employee, nominee or legal heir can apply to the competent authority in Form IX for a direction, and if the employer still does not pay, apply again in Form XII for recovery of the amount as arrears.
What is the deadline to register an establishment under these Rules?
An employer must register the establishment electronically in Form XIII within 30 days from the date of notification of compulsory insurance under Section 57(1) of the Code.
How much must an employer deposit for funeral expenses if an employee dies from a work injury?
15000 rupees, or a higher amount if notified by the Government, must be deposited with the competent authority for the eldest surviving dependent or the person who incurs the funeral expense.
When is the unified annual return due?
On or before 1 February every year, in Form XXII, covering the preceding year's particulars for every establishment to which Chapter V of the Code applies.
What records must an employer keep about women employees?
A register of women employees in Form XXI, recording appointment, wages, leave and maternity benefit payments among other particulars, preserved for 3 years.
Can an employer settle a first time offence without going to court?
Yes. Under Rule 40, a first time offence is notified in Form XXIII, and paying the compounding amount within 15 days closes the matter without prosecution.
What is the penalty for repeating the same offence after a conviction?
Under Section 134 of the Code, a second or subsequent conviction attracts imprisonment up to 2 years and a fine of 2 lakh rupees, rising to 3 years and 3 lakh rupees where the repeat offence involves nonpayment of dues such as contribution, gratuity or compensation.
Do employers have to report job vacancies anywhere?
Yes. Under Chapter XII, private sector employers above the notified worker count must report vacancies to the local Career Centre in Form XXIV and file a yearly Employment Information Return in Form XXV.
How is cess on building and construction work paid?
Within 30 days of completing the project, or within 30 days of the assessment being finished, whichever is earlier. For projects running beyond a year, cess is paid every year within 30 days of that year's completion.
Who hears an appeal against a gratuity or maternity benefit decision?
Gratuity appeals go to the appellate authority under Section 56(8) of the Code, while maternity benefit appeals against an Inspector cum Facilitator's order go to the competent authority notified by the Chandigarh Administration.
Where can an employer send objections to the draft Rules?
Objections and suggestions could be sent in writing or by email to the Labour Commissioner at the Labour Welfare Centre Building, Sector 30B, Chandigarh, though the 45 day window for the original 2021 draft has long closed.
Sources
Where every fact on this page comes from.
- → Code on Social Security (Chandigarh) Rules 2021, draft notification dated 28 December 2021, Department of Labour, Chandigarh Administration (official)
- → The Code on Social Security 2020 (Act No. 36 of 2020), bare act, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India (official)
- → The Chandigarh Maternity Benefit Rules 1974, the Payment of Gratuity (Chandigarh) Rules 1972, the Chandigarh Building and Other Construction Workers Rules 2008, the Chandigarh Unorganized Workers Social Security Rules 2018 and the Workman's Compensation Rules 1924, the five earlier laws repealed by Rule 44 of the draft Rules (official)
- → Press Information Bureau factsheet on the Code on Social Security 2020, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India (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.