Welfare Board: Provides for establishment of ‘Welfare Board’ at state-level, for securing welfare of Gig-Workers.
Establishment of a welfare fund: Consists of welfare fee (Levied on transactions b/w worker & aggregator or on overall turnover of company) & contributions from Union and State governments.
Rights-based bill: It seeks to protect the rights of gig workers and places obligations on aggregators in relation to social security, occupational health and safety of workers.
Other Features: Provides safeguards against unfair dismissals, two-level grievance redressal mechanism, and more transparency with regards to automated monitoring and decision-making systems deployed by platforms.
Currently, Rajasthan is only state to have legislation for welfare of gig workers.

Issues with Bill

Disclosure of algorithmic monitoring and providing reasons for terminations can impact ease of doing business.
Bill does not address issue of minimum wages or working hours for gig workers.
Welfare board model provides some welfare schemes for gig workers, but it does not replace institutional social security benefits e.g. provident fund, gratuity, or maternity benefits.
Unlike Code on Social Security, 2020 (‘COSS’) which defines and regulates both ‘gig workers’ and ‘platform workers’ separately, Bill regulates only subset of platform-based gig-workers.

Gig Workers

As per Code on Social Security, 2020, it means a person who performs work or participates in a work arrangement and earns from such activities outside of traditional employer-employee relationship.
Broadly classified into 2 categories:
- Platform based: Whose work is based on online software apps or digital platforms. E.g., delivery workers of Zomato.
- Non-platform based: Casual wage workers in conventional sectors, working part-time or full-time. E.g., domestic workers.
Drivers of Growth: Technological advancements, urbanization, rising middle-class consumption demands, shifts in consumer preferences towards on-demand services, and desire for greater work-life balance among workers.

Digital Divide: Access to internet services and digital technology can be a restrictive factor for workers.
Data protection: Opaque decisions made by platform companies on how to collect; store and share personal data of workers impact Right to privacy of workers.
Lacking ‘employee’ status: Has resulted in several consequences e.g. inability to form unions to represent their interests, exploitative contacts, etc.
Uncertain Nature of Job: Lack of job security, irregularity of wages, and uncertain employment status for workers.
Lack of social Protection: workers lack safeguards such as Health Insurance, Employees Provident Fund etc.
Algorithmic management: Workers face stress due to pressures resulting from algorithmic management practices and performance evaluation on the basis of ratings.

Code on Social Security, 2020: Provides for extension of social security benefits to gig workers as well.
Code on Wages, 2019: provides for universal minimum wage and floor wage across organized and unorganized sector which include gig workers.
e-SHRAM Portal: which is a National Database of Unorganised Workers including gig workers.
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY): All eligible registered unorganised workers including gig workers are entitled to get benefit of an accidental insurance cover of Rs. 2.0 Lakh for a year.
The Centre for Labour Studies, National Law School of India University (NLSUI), Bangalore has been engaged for assistance in framing of a new Scheme for the Gig & Platform workers as well as workers in the unorganized Sector.
- Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) with NLSUI.

Proper Estimation of Gig Workers: By having separate enumeration exercises.
Catalyze Platformization: Introducing Platform India initiative (similar to Startup India).
- This platform can help self-employed individuals to sell their produce to wider markets in towns and cities; Ferrying of passengers for hire etc.
Accelerate Financial Inclusion: Institutional credit to vulnerable section through financial products specifically designed for platform workers by leveraging FinTech industry.
Enhancing Social Inclusion in Digital Economy: By enabling different sections of workers e.g. women workers and PwDs to take up employment opportunities in platform sector through skill development, access to finance etc.
Skill Development for Platform Jobs: Pursue outcome-based, platform-led models of skilling and job creation.
- Integrate employment and skill development portals such as E-shram and National Career Services Portals or Udyam portal with ASEEM portal.
Universal Social Security Coverage: By extending social security measures in partnership mode as envisaged in Code on Social Security 2020.
- Social Security includes paid sick leave, Occupational Disease and work accident Insurance, Retirement/Pension Plans and Other Contingency Benefits etc.
Tripartite dialogue: Between governments, platform unions and EBMOs on labour issues & worker well-being in platform economy.