The Code on Wages, 2019
Consolidates four wage-related Acts (Minimum Wages, Payment of Wages, Payment of Bonus, Equal Remuneration) into a single statute.
- Sections
- 69
- Chapters
- 9
- Tier
- Tier 1
In one line
What this Act says
Consolidates the Minimum Wages, Payment of Wages, Payment of Bonus and Equal Remuneration laws — guarantees a minimum wage to every worker, paid on time.
Penalties
What happens if you break it
Paying less than the minimum wage
§54Fine up to ₹50,000; on repeat within 5 years — imprisonment up to 3 months and/or fine up to ₹1 lakh.
Non-payment / delayed payment of wages
§54Fine up to ₹20,000; on repeat — imprisonment up to 1 month and/or fine up to ₹40,000.
Failure to maintain prescribed records
§54(1)(c)Fine up to ₹10,000.
Headline offences only — not exhaustive. For the full text and every section, open the source PDF or the official link below.
Key Sections & Penalties
Code on Wages at a Glance
| Section | Type | Provision | Applicability | Details / Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| §5 | structural | Payment of minimum rate of wages | - | Administrative / Structural |
| §13 | structural | Fixing hours of work for normal working day | - | Administrative / Structural |
| §15 | structural | Wages for overtime work | - | Administrative / Structural |
| §26 | structural | Eligibility for bonus | - | Administrative / Structural |
| §54 | criminal | Paying less than the minimum wage | - | Fine up to ₹50,000; on repeat within 5 years — imprisonment up to 3 months and/or fine up to ₹1 lakh high RISK |
Maximum punishments as prescribed by the Act. Actual sentencing depends on facts, prior convictions and judicial discretion.
Sources
Read the Act yourself
We always show you the local source PDF and at least one verifiable online reference, so you can check anything we say.
Source PDF
Code on Wages, 2019.pdf
Full text · opens in new tab
Reference
PRS India
prsindia.org · opens in new tab
About this Act
Quick facts
- Year
- 2019
- Sections
- 69
- Chapters
- 9
- Tier
- Tier 1