Protecting gig workers

Social security law must balance equity with profitability

The Supreme Court has made a significant intervention by admitting a public interest litigation from the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers —which includes those employed by online delivery and taxi aggregators — that seeks to classify gig workers as wage workers entitled to social security and other employment benefits. The apex court will be hearing this petition even as the Code on Social Security, which covered unorganised workers, gig workers and platform workers for the first time, is awaiting implementation. 

The Code was one of a suite of labour laws that Parliament passed in September of last year and received