Appointment Letters Are Now Mandatory: What the New Labour Codes Require
Here's a simple but important change under India's new Labour Codes: every employee must now be given a formal appointment letter. What used to be good practice is now a legal requirement.
Why this matters For years, many workers — especially in smaller or informal setups — had no written proof of employment. That made it hard to claim benefits or resolve disputes. The new rule gives every employee official proof of their job and terms.
What an appointment letter should include:
The employee's job title and category
Their wages and salary structure
Date of joining
Working hours and leave details
Other key terms of employment
What this means for employers: You now need to issue a proper appointment letter to every employee — new and existing. It's a small administrative step, but skipping it is a compliance gap that's easy for an audit to catch.
The upside? Clear written terms protect you too, reducing confusion and disputes later. It's good practice that's now backed by law.
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