Key highlights:
- New labour codes health checkup rule makes free annual exams compulsory for all workers above 40, directly written into India’s labour law framework.
- New labour codes health checkup mandate is backed by an expanded social security net that now covers gig, platform, fixed term and contract workers through statutory schemes.
- New labour codes health checkup reforms arrive as non communicable diseases cause roughly two thirds of all deaths in India, raising the stakes for early detection among working age adults.
Why the new labour codes health checkup mandate matters now
New labour codes health checkup provisions arrive at a time when India is overhauling 29 legacy labour laws into four streamlined codes that promise better wages, safety, social security and welfare for a workforce of more than 64 crore people. The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020, now in force, explicitly requires employers to provide a free annual health checkup to every worker above the age of 40, making preventive screening a legal entitlement rather than a discretionary perk.
This new labour codes health checkup requirement sits inside a broader reform package that includes a statutory right to minimum wages, expanded Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) coverage, stronger protections for women and youth, and a unified compliance system for employers. The move is also closely aligned with India’s mounting non communicable disease burden: according to WHO and the Ministry of Health, NCDs now account for about 63 to 65 percent of all deaths in India, with a large share occurring in the 30 to 70 age group that makes up the core of the workforce.
As companies adapt to the new labour codes health checkup rules, the reform signals a clear policy shift: employee health is being treated as a foundation for productivity and growth, not an optional benefit. For workers, especially those in hazardous or high stress sectors, the codified right to annual screening could be the difference between late diagnosis and timely intervention.
Inside the new labour codes health checkup obligation
- Employers must provide free annual exams for workers over 40, with scope defined by government rules.
- New labour codes health checkup rights apply across sectors, with special emphasis on hazardous industries, mines and large establishments.
The OSH Code press note from the Government of India makes the new labour codes health checkup requirement unambiguous: every employee will be eligible for free annual health checkups, and employers must ensure that workers above 40 receive these examinations at no cost. The obligation extends across sectors covered by the Code, including factories, mines, plantations, beedi and cigar, construction, docks, motor transport and other notified activities, replacing a patchwork of older rules with a single national standard.
Under the new labour codes health checkup framework, the exact list of tests will be prescribed through rules and standards set by a National Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board, which will develop uniform requirements for occupational safety and health across the country. This structure allows future tailoring of checkup protocols to evolving disease patterns, sector specific risks and technological advances in screening.
The Press Information Bureau comparison of “Pre labour reforms” and “Post labour reforms” highlights preventive healthcare as a distinctive change: earlier there was no legal requirement for employers to fund annual health checkups, while now every worker above 40 must receive a free annual health checkup to promote a preventive healthcare culture. In hazardous industries and mines, separate provisions reiterate that all workers are entitled to employer funded annual health checkups, reinforcing the new labour codes health checkup mandate in the riskiest workplaces.
New labour codes health checkup rules and the expanded social security net
- Social Security Code 2020 widens coverage to gig, platform, fixed term and unorganised workers, aligning the new labour codes health checkup push with broader protection schemes.
- Aggregators must contribute a share of turnover into a dedicated fund for gig and platform workers’ social security, including health related benefits.
The Code on Social Security, 2020 consolidates nine existing laws into a single framework that dramatically broadens who can access formal protection, creating a foundation that complements the new labour codes health checkup obligation. A Government of India press note states that, under the Social Security Code, all workers, including gig and platform workers, are now brought within social security coverage, with entitlements such as provident fund, Employees’ State Insurance, insurance and other benefits.
For the first time, official definitions of “gig worker,” “platform worker” and “aggregator” have been written into law, and aggregators are required to contribute 1 to 2 percent of their annual turnover, capped at 5 percent of the amount paid to gig and platform workers, into a social security fund. This fund will finance schemes that cover life insurance, disability insurance, health benefits, maternity and old age protection, extending the spirit of the new labour codes health checkup reforms into the digital platform economy.
The Press Information Bureau release notes that India has expanded social security coverage from about 19 percent of the workforce in 2015 to over 64 percent in 2025, reflecting a deliberate policy push to make protection more universal. In this environment, the new labour codes health checkup mandate becomes a key preventive pillar within a larger safety net that spans ESI coverage, statutory minimum wages, fixed term employee benefits, and improved protections for contract, MSME and migrant workers.
Select official features supporting new labour codes health checkup reforms
| Policy feature | Pre reform status | Post reform status (official data) |
|---|---|---|
| Free annual health checkup for workers | No legal mandate for employer funded annual exams. | Employers must provide free annual health checkups for all workers above 40; every employee eligible for annual health checkups. |
| Social security coverage | Limited to specific sectors and formal workers. | All workers, including gig and platform workers, to receive social security under the Social Security Code 2020. |
| Aggregator contribution for gig workers | Not defined in earlier laws. | Aggregators contribute 1–2 percent of annual turnover, capped at 5 percent of payouts to gig and platform workers, into social security funds. |
| National OSH standards | Multiple boards and fragmented rules. | Single National OSH Advisory Board to set mandatory safety and health standards across sectors, including for health checkups. |
Linking new labour codes health checkup policies to India’s NCD and productivity challenge
- NCDs are estimated to account for about 63 percent of all deaths in India, with a high share in the 30 to 70 age bracket.
- New labour codes health checkup rules aim to push early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory disease among workers.
The public health context for the new labour codes health checkup focus is stark: official data cited in national NCD guidelines and WHO profiles indicate that non communicable diseases account for an estimated 63 percent of all deaths in India, with cardiovascular diseases alone contributing around 27 percent, chronic respiratory diseases 11 percent, cancers 9 percent and diabetes 3 percent. Analysis of the national disease burden shows that the share of deaths due to NCDs has risen from under 40 percent in 1990 to more than 60 percent by the early 2020s, with roughly one quarter of NCD related deaths occurring prematurely between ages 30 and 70.
Within this demographic, a large portion are economically active, making the new labour codes health checkup requirement for workers above 40 a directly targeted intervention in a high risk age band. Regular screening for blood pressure, blood sugar, lipid profiles and other risk markers can support earlier diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular conditions that typically emerge or accelerate in middle age, when many workers have dependants and long remaining years in the labour market.
Research on preventive health in India has also highlighted the economic stakes: estimates suggest that non communicable diseases and mental health conditions could cost India several trillion dollars in lost output by 2030 because of reduced productivity, absenteeism and premature mortality. By embedding new labour codes health checkup obligations into employment law, policymakers are attempting to counter these losses through employer funded screening, better integration of occupational health and primary care, and stronger links to national programmes for NCD prevention and control.
Table: NCD burden backdrop for new labour codes health checkup reforms
| Indicator (India) | Official figure | Relevance to workforce |
|---|---|---|
| Share of all deaths due to NCDs | Approximately 63–65 percent of total deaths. | Indicates chronic diseases dominate mortality, justifying new labour codes health checkup focus on early detection. |
| Share of premature NCD deaths (30–70 years) | Around 25–26 percent of NCD deaths occur in ages 30–70. | Overlaps with core working ages, meaning many fatalities hit peak productive years. |
| Leading NCD causes of death | Cardiovascular diseases 27 percent, chronic respiratory 11 percent, cancers 9 percent, diabetes 3 percent of total deaths. | Most conditions are detectable earlier through regular screening in new labour codes health checkup programmes. |
| Projected economic loss from NCDs and mental health | Estimated multi trillion dollar losses by 2030 for India. | Shows macroeconomic rationale for new labour codes health checkup investment to protect productivity. |
Section 4: Implementation challenges and the path ahead for new labour codes health checkup delivery
- Smaller enterprises and remote locations may face capacity and cost constraints in providing annual checkups, even as compliance has been simplified.
- New labour codes health checkup schemes must avoid over testing while ensuring evidence based screening aligned with national guidelines.
While the legal direction of travel is clear, making new labour codes health checkup rights meaningful for millions of workers will depend on how rules are framed and enforced on the ground. The OSH Code emphasises simplified compliance through single registration, single returns and all India licences, yet micro and small enterprises, especially outside major urban centres, may still struggle with access to accredited labs, doctors and digital reporting systems needed for regular screening.
Ensuring quality is another critical challenge: national NCD operational guidelines for primary care stress that screening packages must be evidence based, focused on high impact tests, and integrated with follow up pathways for diagnosis and treatment. Without careful design, new labour codes health checkup programmes could drift toward over testing, unnecessary investigations and false positives, which not only raise costs but can also cause anxiety and divert attention from priority conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and high cardiovascular risk.
Regulators will therefore need to align new labour codes health checkup norms with the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases and related initiatives that already standardise age based and risk based screening. Coordination between labour authorities, health ministries, ESI hospitals and private providers will be key to creating referral pathways so that workers flagged during annual checkups receive timely follow up, rather than being left with a one time report. Over time, data from these programmes could also feed into anonymised dashboards to track disease trends in specific sectors and regions, strengthening both workplace and public health planning.
Closing assessment: New labour codes health checkup reforms and the future of India’s workforce
New labour codes health checkup mandates mark a decisive step in repositioning employee health as a statutory right embedded in labour law, rather than an optional welfare measure. By pairing free annual checkups for workers over 40 with expanded social security, ESI coverage and formal recognition for gig, platform and contract workers, India is constructing a more inclusive framework that links workplace welfare to long term economic resilience. The reforms also reflect a deeper recognition that the country’s growth story is inseparable from how it manages its non communicable disease burden, which already accounts for around two thirds of deaths and threatens to erode demographic and productivity gains.
If implemented with attention to access, quality and data use, new labour codes health checkup programmes could help detect disease earlier, reduce catastrophic health spending for households, and support a healthier, more stable labour force across both traditional industries and the digital platform economy. For policymakers and employers alike, the message is clear: investment in preventive health through the new labour codes health checkup architecture is no longer a peripheral CSR choice, it is a central lever for sustaining India’s workforce and its economic ambitions.
