Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025

The Government of Karnataka, on 12^th September 2025, has officially notified the Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025. As per the notification, the provisions of the Act shall be deemed to have come into force with effect from the 30^th day of May 2025.

The intention of the enactment is to protect the rights of platform based gig workers, to place obligations on aggregators or platforms in relation to social security, occupational health and safety, transparency in automated monitoring and decision-making systems, to provide dispute resolution mechanisms, to establish a Welfare Board and create a welfare fund for platform based gig workers, to register platform based gig workers and aggregators or platforms in the state.

Some of the key features of the Act are as follows:

• “Aggregator” is a digital intermediary for a buyer of goods or user of services to connect with the seller or the service provider, and includes any entity that coordinates with one or more aggregators for providing the services.

• “Gig worker” is a person who performs work or participates in a work arrangement that results in a given rate of payment, based on terms and conditions laid down in such a contract and includes all piece rate work, and whose work is sourced through a platform, in the services specified in the schedule. (Please refer to the schedule in the enclosed copy of the ordinance.)

• The State Government shall establish the Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers Welfare Board to implement social security and other benefits to platform based gig workers.

• Platform based gig workers shall be registered with the State Government and shall be provided a unique ID.

• The aggregator must provide the board with its database of all the gig workers onboarded or registered with it.

• The aggregator shall update the board about any changes, i.e., an increase or decrease in the number of gig workers in the data provided to the board.

• Every aggregator shall register with the board.

• The details of registered aggregators will be published on the web portal of the board.

• A written employment contract shall be entered into between the aggregator and the gig workers.

• If there are any subsequent changes to the contract entered, the aggregator shall notify the gig workers no later than fourteen days before the proposed change.

• An aggregator shall not terminate a gig worker without giving a valid reason in writing and with prior notice of fourteen days.

• In case of deductions in payment payable to the gig worker, the aggregator has to inform the gig worker about the reason for such deduction prior to the payment.

• The aggregator or the platform must compensate platform-based gig workers at least weekly and disburse pay promptly.

• The aggregator shall make a facility to provide each gig worker with a human point of contact for all clarifications under the provisions of the enactment. Contact information of such a point of contact shall be provided on the respective platform application.

• There shall be a quarterly gig worker welfare fee payable by the aggregator to the board.

• The aggregator must submit a quarterly return as may be prescribed.

Apart from the above, the Act also outlines the mechanism for redressing grievances raised by workers against aggregators, platforms, and the Welfare Board.