The Department of Labour, Employment & Overseas Placement, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh on May 22, 2026, issued the Draft Social Security (Himachal Pradesh) Rules, 2026.
The following has been stated:
• The draft rules seek to operationalize the provisions of the Social Security Code, 2020, in the state by prescribing procedures relating to Employees’ State Insurance (ESI), gratuity, maternity benefits, employee compensation, welfare of construction workers, cess collection, and compliance requirements.
• The draft introduces detailed procedures for gratuity administration. Employees shall submit gratuity nominations, employers shall verify and record nominations, and gratuity claims can be filed electronically, personally, or through registered post. Employers are required to issue a decision on gratuity claims within 15 days and make payment through bank transfer or demand draft. Appeals against gratuity orders shall be filed within 60 days, while gratuity-related applications before competent authorities are required to be disposed of within 120 days.
• For maternity benefits, complaints regarding non-payment or wrongful withholding of benefits may be made to the Inspector-cum-Facilitator, who shall dispose of complaints within 120 days. Appeals against such decisions will lie before an authority not below the rank of Deputy Labour Commissioner, with a prescribed disposal period of 90 days.
• In relation to employee compensation, the draft mandates payment of ₹15,000 towards funeral expenses where an employment injury results in death. It also prescribes procedures for review of compensation, maintenance of notice books, reporting of fatal accidents, and qualifications for appointment of Competent Authorities dealing with compensation matters.
• The draft further prescribes extensive record-keeping and compliance obligations. Employers must maintain registers relating to employees, attendance, wages, women employees, construction workers, establishments, and cess information, either electronically or physically. Records shall be preserved for five years, wage slips shall be issued before wage payment, and annual unified returns shall be filed online. Employers are also required to display prescribed notices at workplaces and produce records whenever demanded by the Inspector-cum-Facilitator.
• Stakeholders have been invited to submit comments and suggestions on the draft before July 09, 2026.
[Notification no. - LEP-A003/12/2026]
