Labour Laws (Exemption from Furnishing Returns and Maintaining Registers by Certain Establishments) Amendment Bill, 2014 passed by the Lok Sabha

On 28 November 2014, the Lok Sabha passed the Labour Laws (Exemption from Furnishing Returns and Maintaining Registers by Certain Establishments) Amendment Bill, 2014. The objective of the Bill is to simplify the labour laws for the “small” establishments. The Bill amends some of the provisions of the Labour Laws (Exemption from Furnishing Returns and Maintaining Registers by Certain Establishments) Amendment and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1988. The Bill amends the definition of “small” establishments to cover units employing between 10 to 40 workers as against the limit of 19 workers earlier. The purpose of the Bill is to simplify the procedures for the “small” establishments, and not to exempt any establishment from furnishing returns and maintaining registers under certain labour laws and to bring transparency, accountability and proper enforcement. Earlier, the Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha on November 26, 2014.