Under section 24(3) of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Central…

Section 24(3) of the Code (formerly s.48 of the Factories Act, 1948, which applied where more than 30 women workers were employed) empowers the Central Government to make rules providing for a crèche, with suitable room or rooms for the use of employees’ children under six years of age, in establishments wherein more than fifty workers are ordinarily employed. The crèche may be provided separately or with common facilities, and a common crèche may be used or set up jointly. The threshold now counts all workers, not only women workers, so 30, 100 and 150 are incorrect. Separately, section 67 of the Code on Social Security, 2020 requires a crèche in establishments covered by its maternity-benefit Chapter that employ fifty or more employees (or such number as the Central Government may prescribe).