Which HRMS handles shift workers and factory attendance under the Labour Codes?

What changed on 21 November 2025

• The Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code came into force, replacing 29 central labour laws [1].
• The OSH Code repeals the Factories Act, 1948 and the Contract Labour Act, 1970; the Code on Wages repeals the Payment of Wages Act and most of the Minimum Wages Act [2].
• Final central rules were notified on 8 May 2026, but they apply only where the central government is the appropriate government, such as railways, mines, banks, ports and central PSUs. State rules govern most other factories [3].
• Existing rules under the old Acts stay in force during the transition until rules under the Codes take effect, so check your state [1].

Working hours and overtime

Where old state factory rules still apply, the Factories Act limits were 9 hours a day, 48 a week, a 10.5-hour spread-over, double-rate overtime and a 75-hour quarterly cap under exemption [7].

Contract labour

• The contract labour threshold rises from 20 to 50 workers, and contractors with fewer than 50 contract workers need no licence [4].
• The principal employer must provide welfare facilities to contract workers and pay their wages if the contractor does not [4].
• Under the central rules, contractors must pay by the 7th day after the wage period ends, failing which the principal employer pays [8].

Wages, registers and records

• Monthly wages must be paid within seven days of the following month; daily wages at the end of the shift; dues on exit within two working days (Code on Wages, section 17) [5].
• Under the Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2026, employee, wage, overtime and deduction registers and an attendance-cum-muster roll may be kept electronically and retained for five years; wage slips may be electronic [9].
• The OSH Code cuts registers from 84 to 8 with digitised records, and replaces six registrations with one electronic registration [4].
• Appointment letters stating designation, wages and social security are mandatory for all workers [1].

What a factory HRMS has to handle

• Shift rosters with patterns, so 4, 5 and 6-day weeks stay within 48 hours.
• Overtime capture with consent, double-rate pay and a running quarterly total against your state's cap.
• Attendance that flows straight into payroll, so wages meet the payment deadlines.
• Electronic registers and wage slips you can produce for five years.
• State-specific rules, because most factories follow state rules, not the central ones.

Where OwnHRMS fits

OwnHRMS is built for plant and field teams: rosters with shift patterns, overtime tracking and real-time attendance, with policy rules enforced at entry. Payroll runs from attendance data with statutory deductions calculated automatically and an audit trail to disbursement. It runs on your own infrastructure under a perpetual licence or managed subscription, with no per-employee pricing.

Questions buyers ask

Which HRMS handles shift workers and factory attendance?

Look for one that rosters shift patterns within the 48-hour week, records overtime with consent at twice the normal wage, feeds attendance straight into payroll and keeps electronic registers for five years. OwnHRMS covers rosters, overtime, attendance and statutory payroll on your own servers [4][9].

When did the Labour Codes come into force?

All four Codes came into force on 21 November 2025, and final central rules were notified on 8 May 2026 [1][3].

What is the overtime rate under the Labour Codes?

Twice the normal rate of wages, and overtime needs the worker's consent [4][5].

Can attendance and wage registers be kept electronically?

Yes under the Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2026, retained for five years; check your state's rules as well [9].

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