International and State Policy Update
Karnataka’s Draft Bill on Social Security for Platform-Based Gig Workers
Sweeping technological advancements are reshaping today’s regulatory environment at an unprecedented pace. While frameworks may not always move as quickly as innovation, Karma Global continues to stand formidable by integrating sophisticated AI into its tools and processes, and by expanding across the U.K., U.S., Canada, the Middle East and South East Asia, delivering regulatory compliance solutions across staffing, onboarding, payroll, facility management, risk control and auditing on a PAN-India basis.
What has been released
As per a Public Notice dated 29 June 2024, the Government of Karnataka released the draft Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2024 and invited objections and suggestions. The notice provides a 10-working day window from the date of publication on the Labour Department website for stakeholder feedback.
Why it matters
The draft Bill proposes a structured welfare and compliance framework for platform-based gig workers, setting expectations for social security, occupational health and safety, transparency in automated monitoring systems and dispute resolution mechanisms.
Draft Bill objective and scope
Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers Bill 2024
The draft Bill states that it is intended to protect the rights of platform-based gig workers, place obligations on aggregators relating to social security, occupational health and safety, and transparency in automated monitoring and decision-making systems. It also proposes dispute resolution mechanisms, establishment of a welfare board and creation of a welfare fund, along with registration requirements for both platform-based gig workers and aggregators in the state.
Potential impact on aggregators and platforms
If enacted, the law is likely to bring major app-based and platform enterprises within the state’s purview for their treatment and engagement of gig workers. The update also notes that Karnataka may become the second state after Rajasthan to introduce such a law for platform-based gig workers.
Major proposals in the draft Bill
Welfare governance structure
The Karnataka government has proposed setting up a gig workers welfare board headquartered in Bengaluru, along with a welfare fund designed to support platform-based gig workers through notified schemes.
Registration and unique identity
A platform-based gig worker is proposed to have the right to be registered upon being onboarded on any platform, irrespective of work duration, and to receive a Unique ID applicable across platforms.
Social security access
Gig workers may access general and specific social security schemes, with eligibility and scope linked to contributions made by them as notified by the state government.
Grievance redressal and dispute resolution
The draft Bill proposes a grievance redressal mechanism and dispute resolution framework, strengthening structured remedies for platform-based gig workers within the state.
Karma Global perspective
Regulatory readiness and compliance enablement
As regulatory expectations evolve to match modern work models, businesses and platforms will benefit from early compliance readiness across engagement models, documentation, governance frameworks and system-driven tracking. Karma Global supports organisations with technology-enabled compliance, audit readiness and scalable frameworks to align workforce practices with emerging state and national standards.
For updates and advisory support
Reach out to the Marketing Team for compliance updates and implementation support.
Proprietary blog note: Collated and compiled by the internal staff of Karma Global based on their knowledge and expertise, including adaptation, illustration, derivation, transformation, collection and auto generation for its monthly newsletter Issue 26 of July 2024.
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