- By Dani Jose –
India has introduced one of its most sweeping labour reforms in recent years, consolidating 29 separate laws into four comprehensive labour codes. A standout feature of this overhaul is a major health-related requirement: all workers aged above 40 must receive free annual medical examinations from their employers. This mandate, outlined in the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, marks a significant shift toward preventive healthcare in the workplace. With non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes rising nationwide, the new provision has wide-ranging implications for public health and the economy.
Key Health-Related Benefits Under the New Labour Codes
1. Free Annual Checkups for Workers Over 40
The OSH Code (2020), now operational, makes it compulsory for employers to provide annual medical assessments at no cost to employees aged above 40. The government’s labour code text clearly states the requirement for “mandatory, free annual health check-up of the workers.”
2. Broader Health Coverage Through ESI
Alongside these checkups, the updated social security regulations expand access to Employees’ State Insurance (ESI). While ESI remains mandatory for units handling hazardous processes, smaller workplaces with fewer than 10 employees can now opt in voluntarily. This flexibility is expected to widen the number of workers gaining access to formal health benefits.
3. Improved Benefits for Fixed-Term and Contract Staff
Workers hired on fixed-term contracts now receive protections closer to those of permanent employees, including healthcare access, leave benefits, and social security. These measures help ensure that temporary and seasonal workers—who often miss out on routine medical care—can participate in preventive health programs.
4. Inclusion of Gig and Platform Workers
For the first time, gig and platform workers are formally covered under social security. Digital platforms must contribute a percentage of their turnover toward a dedicated fund supporting these workers, including benefits related to health coverage.
5. Streamlined Compliance for Employers
The labour codes introduce mechanisms such as a single licence, single return, and single registration system. These steps significantly reduce procedural requirements, making it easier for businesses to follow rules and deliver the mandated health services.
Implications for Workforce Health and National Productivity
1. Strengthening Preventive Healthcare
Mandatory annual screenings enable early detection of lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart conditions. With non-communicable diseases accounting for a large share of deaths in India, routine health monitoring can have a measurable impact.
Research shows that regular physical examinations improve awareness and lower long-term health risks. Studies indicate that preventive screening can substantially reduce mortality by identifying diseases before they escalate.
2. Gains in Productivity and Economic Growth
Healthy employees tend to perform better, miss fewer workdays, and reduce long-term medical expenses. Economic analyses in India have shown that preventive care improves workforce efficiency and offers both direct and indirect benefits to employers.
Many companies globally now view employee health programs as strategic investments, and the new mandate aligns India with this trend.
3. Reinforced Occupational Health Standards
The reforms bring India closer to global occupational health benchmarks. Organizations such as the World Health Organization emphasize integrating health promotion into workplace systems, and India’s new codes institutionalize this approach by making routine medical exams a legal requirement.
4. Addressing Gaps in Preventive Care
Before these reforms, only a limited number of employers offered annual health screenings, even though a majority of employees faced increased lifestyle-related risks. The new mandate offers broader coverage, particularly for those most vulnerable to age-related diseases.
Challenges That Remain
- Age limitation: Only workers above 40 are covered for mandatory checkups, leaving younger employees without a similar guarantee.
- Undefined screening standards: The exact tests included in the annual examinations will depend on future government guidelines.
- Possibility of unnecessary testing: Without clear rules, screening packages may include superfluous tests, raising the risk of overdiagnosis or false alarms.
- Operational concerns for small organizations: Even with simplified compliance, smaller businesses—especially in rural or remote regions—may find it challenging to implement annual examinations.
Conclusion
The introduction of four unified labour codes represents a significant milestone in integrating workplace safety with preventive healthcare in India. By guaranteeing free annual health checkups for workers over 40, the country is taking an important step toward early disease detection, improved worker well-being, and reduced chronic disease burden.
While the full impact will depend on how the rules are implemented and monitored, the direction is clear: employee health is now recognized as a fundamental right, not an optional benefit. For a rapidly ageing workforce and a nation grappling with rising lifestyle diseases, this reform could pave the way toward both healthier citizens and a healthier economy.
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