Archive · 29 Nov 2025
India Expands Family Definition in Labour Code
India has updated its Labour Code to include more family members in social security benefits.
Now, workers can include in-laws, maternal grandparents, and dependent siblings for benefits like insurance and gratuity.
This change helps workers who support their extended families.
The new rules started on November 28, 2025.
Employers need to update their records to include these new family members.
However, company-run benefits like group mediclaim are not automatically included.
Workers and employers must keep their information up to date to avoid problems.
India's Labour Code now includes in-laws, maternal grandparents, and dependent siblings as family for social security benefits.
The change aims to reflect modern family structures and caregiving relationships.
Statutory benefits like ESIC insurance, EPF-linked entitlements, and gratuity are now extended to these family members.
Employers must update their records to include these new family members but are not required to extend benefits to company-run schemes.
Workers and employers need to keep their information up to date to avoid disputes and ensure accurate payouts.
- Who
- Indian workers and their extended family members
- What
- Expansion of the definition of 'family' in the Labour Code
- When
- Effective from November 28, 2025
- Where
- India
- Why
- To better reflect modern family structures and caregiving relationships
- Effective Date
- November 28, 2025
- Expanded Family Members
- In-laws, maternal grandparents, dependent siblings
- Statutory Benefits
- ESIC insurance, EPF-linked entitlements, gratuity
- Employer-run Schemes
- Not automatically extended
- Administrative Responsibilities
- Updated nominations, dependency declarations