After a long period of uncertainty over a definitive stance taken by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on exercise of joint option for higher contributions under the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (EPF Scheme), the EPFO issued a circular dated 2 June 2023 (June Circular) detailing the applicable mechanism in this regard.
Until this month, there appeared to be limited visibility as regards the implementation of the labour code regime. While the Code on Social Security, 2020 (SS Code) received the assent of the President of India on 28 September 2020, the enforcement of the new legislative framework remained uncertain, barring the provision for identifying the beneficiaries under the SS Code through Aadhaar.
Through an interim order, the Kerala High Court has opined on the requirement of producing copies evidencing exercise of joint option under Paragraph 26(6) of the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (EPF Scheme) for the purpose of exercise of joint option for higher pension benefits under the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS Scheme) pursuant to the ruling of the Supreme Court of India in Employes’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and Another v Sunil Kumar and Others [AIR 2022 SC 5634] (SC Ruling).
The Government of Maharashtra notified the Maharashtra State Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments (Amendment) Act, 2023 (New Amendment) in the Official Gazette on 6 April 2023, pursuant to the Governor’s assent to the same. This New Amendment amends the Maharashtra State Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments Act, 1975 (Maharashtra Professional Tax Act), and the same has been made effective from 1 April 2023.
The Government of Karnataka notified the Karnataka Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments (Amendment) Act, 2023 (New Amendment) in the Official Gazette on 14 March 2023, pursuant to the Governor’s assent to the same on 13 March 2023. The New Amendment amends the Karnataka Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments Act, 1976 (Karnataka Professional Tax Act), and the same will be effective from 1 April 2023. In this update, we discuss the key changes brought about by the New Amendment from an employment law perspective.
With an aim to bring in gender parity among factory workforce and create more employment opportunities for women, the Karnataka legislature passed the Factories (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2023 (2023 Amendment) to amend the Factories Act, 1948 (Factories Act) in its application to the state of Karnataka. The said amendment also brings about a change in the provisions relating to daily working hours, interval for rest and extra wages for overtime work under the Factories Act.
