Gig Workers: Social Security Deadline Looms!

App-based platforms, including Swiggy, Zomato, Uber, Ola, Rapido, Blinkit, and Zepto, are mandated to register their gig workforce on the e-Shram portal by June 21. This directive aims to provide essential social security benefits, such as health insurance and pensions, to millions of workers. The government is creating a comprehensive database to formalize this vital segment of the economy.

The labour ministry issued this directive following the recent notification of rules under the Code on Social Security. These rules require mandatory registration of gig and platform workers within 45 days. Aggregators must also report new onboardings and exits in real-time or daily.

The registration process will issue unique national identities to gig workers, improving portability and formalizing the sector. The ministry has warned that platforms failing to meet the June 21 deadline may face penal action under the Social Security Code. A gig worker is defined as someone working at least 90 days for one aggregator or 120 days across multiple platforms annually.