Notification Record & Forms
Notification details and the forms every employer needs, in one place.
- Issuing authority
- Labour and Employment Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir
- Notified
- Draft notification issued vide S.O. 176 of 2026, made public around June 2026 and reported in regional media on 1 July 2026. This replaces an earlier draft, S.O. 16 dated 15 January 2021, which was never finally notified.
- Objection window
- 45 days from the date copies of the gazette were made available to the public, likely closing around mid August 2026 (exact closing date not independently verified)
- Legal basis
- Section 67 of the Code on Wages 2019 read with Section 24 of the General Clauses Act 1897
- Supersedes
- The Jammu and Kashmir Payment of Wages Rules 1972 and the Jammu and Kashmir Minimum Wages Rules 1972
- Current Status
- Draft stage, not yet finally notified
The Code on Wages, 2019 brought four old central wage laws under one umbrella, and every state and Union Territory now has to frame its own rules to operate that Code locally. Jammu and Kashmir has done this through the Code on Wages Jammu and Kashmir Rules, now redrafted in 2026 after an earlier 2021 attempt did not reach the finish line. The rules explain how minimum wages get fixed, how dearness allowance moves twice a year, what a normal working day looks like, and what registers and wage slips an employer must keep ready.
Forms under the State Rules
Due Dates
Compliance deadlines, forms and how often each one recurs.
| Compliance | Form | Compliance Frequency | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain wage register | Form I (Rule 17, Rule 41) | Continuous | Kept current for every wage period |
| Maintain employee register | Form IV (Rule 41(3)) | Ongoing | Updated on joining and exit of every employee |
| Issue wage slip | Form V (Rule 42) | Every wage period | On or before the date wages are paid |
| Intimate deduction to Inspector cum Facilitator | Not applicable (Rule 15) | As and when a deduction is made | Within 10 days of the deduction |
| Intimate deduction for damage or loss | Not applicable (Rule 16) | As and when a deduction is made | Within 15 days of the deduction |
| Revise dearness allowance | Not applicable (Rule 5) | Twice a year | Before 1 April and before 1 October each year |
| Deposit undisbursed wages | Not applicable (Rule 37) | When wages stay undisbursed for 6 months | Before the 15th day after that 6 month period ends |
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 | Two separate rules applied, the Jammu and Kashmir Payment of Wages Rules 1972 and the Jammu and Kashmir Minimum Wages Rules 1972 | One consolidated set of rules, the Code on Wages Jammu and Kashmir Rules, covers both wage payment and minimum wage fixation together |
| Minimum wage fixation method | No single fixed formula ran across the territory, wages were set employment by employment under the Minimum Wages Act | A defined formula applies everywhere, built around three consumption units, 2700 calories, 66 metres of cloth, and set shares for housing, fuel and other needs |
| Skill classification | There was no standing Technical Committee mechanism for classifying occupations | A Technical Committee classifies occupations into unskilled, semi skilled, skilled and highly skilled, drawing on the National Classification of Occupations |
| Wage conversion method | Conversion between daily, hourly and monthly wages was not codified in one place | Daily wage is divided by 8 for the hourly rate and multiplied by 26 for the monthly rate, with clear rounding rules |
| Claims and appeals | Separate procedures ran under the Payment of Wages Act and the Minimum Wages Act | One Authority hears wage claims through a single application in Form II under Section 45, and appeals go through Form III under Section 49 |
| Records and wage slips | Formats followed the two old sets of rules separately | Standard Form I, Form IV and Form V formats apply, with an explicit option to keep them electronically |
Applicability
Who the Code covers, and who gets special or exempt treatment.
Covered
- Every employer and employee in Jammu and Kashmir covered by the Code on Wages 2019, across organised and unorganised sectors
- Employees classified as unskilled, semi skilled, skilled or highly skilled under Schedule A
- Establishments across Municipal Corporation, Municipal Committee or Council, and rural areas
- Employees engaged through a contractor, for the purpose of timely wage payment
Exempted / special treatment
- Government employees are kept outside the minimum wage provisions of the Code
- Employees in agricultural employment may see modified working hour rules as the Government decides from time to time
- Employees engaged in emergency, preparatory or complementary work may work an extended spread over up to 16 hours under Rule 9
- Employees already covered by the Factories Act 1948 keep those protections, since Rules 6 to 8 do not take them away
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what employers ask us most about this rule.
What is the Code on Wages Jammu and Kashmir Rules 2026?
It is a draft set of rules that tells employers in Jammu and Kashmir how to fix minimum wages, pay wages on time, run working hours and rest days, and keep wage records, all under the central Code on Wages 2019.
Has this law come into force yet?
No. It is still a draft open for public objections and suggestions. It will apply only after the Government publishes it as a final notification.
Which older laws does it replace?
Once finalised, it will replace the Jammu and Kashmir Payment of Wages Rules 1972 and the Jammu and Kashmir Minimum Wages Rules 1972.
Why is there a 2021 draft and a 2026 draft for the same rules?
The 2021 draft was published but never finally notified. Since the Code on Wages came into force nationally in November 2025, the Government issued a fresh 2026 draft to restart the process.
Who does the Code on Wages apply to?
It applies to every employer and employee in Jammu and Kashmir covered by the Code on Wages 2019, in both organised and unorganised establishments, apart from a few carve outs such as government employees for minimum wage purposes.
How will minimum wages be calculated under these rules?
Wages are worked out on a day basis using a standard family of three adult consumption units, a daily intake of 2700 calories, yearly cloth needs, and set shares for housing, fuel and other expenses.
How often will dearness allowance be revised?
Twice a year, with the review happening before 1 April and before 1 October.
What is a normal working day under the rules?
8 hours of work with rest breaks not exceeding 1 hour in total, and a spread over that ordinarily does not go beyond 12 hours.
Is a weekly day of rest compulsory?
Yes. Every employee gets one rest day a week, ordinarily Sunday, though the employer may fix a different day subject to the conditions in the rules.
What records must an employer maintain?
A Form I register covering wages, overtime, fines and deductions, and a Form IV employee register, both of which can be kept electronically.
Does the employer need to issue a wage slip?
Yes. Every employer must issue a Form V wage slip to each employee on or before the date wages are paid.
What happens if an employer pays less than the minimum wage?
The employer can be fined up to Rs 50,000 for a first offence, and faces imprisonment up to 3 months or a fine up to Rs 1,00,000, or both, for a repeat offence within 5 years.
Can an employer be prosecuted twice for the same kind of offence?
Yes, and the penalty increases sharply on a repeat offence committed within 5 years of the first one.
How does an employee raise a wage complaint?
Through a single application in Form II before the Authority appointed under Section 45, which can be filed by the employee, a registered trade union, or the Inspector cum Facilitator.
Where can employers submit objections to the draft rules?
Objections and suggestions go to the Labour and Employment Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, within the 45 day window from the date the gazette was made public.
Sources
Where every fact on this page comes from.
- → Draft notification S.O. 16 dated 15 January 2021, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Labour and Employment Department (official)
- → Draft notification S.O. 176 of 2026, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Labour and Employment Department (official)
- → The Code on Wages 2019 (Act 29 of 2019), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India (official)
- → Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Labour and Employment Department, official website (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.