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The Union labour ministry has released draft rules proposing that gig and platform workers must work a minimum number of days in a financial year to qualify for social security benefits. The notification, dated December 30, 2025, came just ahead of a New Year’s Eve strike by gig workers demanding higher pay and improved working conditions.
What the draft rules say
- Minimum workdays required:
- For workers associated with a single aggregator: 90 days in a financial year.
- For workers engaged with multiple aggregators: 120 cumulative days.
- Definition of engagement:
A worker is considered engaged if they earn income for work done for an aggregator on a particular calendar day, regardless of the amount earned. - Multiple engagements:
- If a worker is engaged with multiple aggregators on the same day, each engagement counts separately.
- Work done through an aggregator’s associate company, holding company, subsidiary, LLP, or third-party arrangements also counts.
- Digital registration:
All eligible unorganised workers must register on the e-Shram portal, which provides a digital identity card containing their photograph and other government-specified details. - Updating information:
Registered workers are required to regularly update personal details like address, occupation, mobile number, and skills. Failure to do so may result in ineligibility for social security benefits.
Key takeaway
The draft rules aim to formalise gig work and ensure access to social security for workers in the unorganised sector, while setting clear criteria for eligibility based on the number of days worked.