What Are Your Rights As A Gig Worker With India’s Labour Laws Changing?
10XTD | As a gig worker in India, Riya (name changed) works with multiple clients. Her work often involves travels and hotel stays, and while some companies provide her with tickets or advance payments, there was an instance where a client refused to refund her on time.
Unlike full-time professionals, she had no support from the client’s HR for timely resolution of this problem. Despite her contract mentioning ‘reimbursements for work-related travel’ Riya had to follow up continuously, make several rounds of phone calls and send multiple emails, before her invoice was cleared.
“I was finally paid 5 months after completion of the project. I used a lot of time and energy in following up with the client, and I’m thankful it all worked out in the end,” Riya says.
What could she have done if her client refused to clear her dues? Riya says she relies solely on her contracts and has little knowledge of her rights.
At a time when the gig economy in India is booming, how many gig workers are truly aware of their rights. We spoke to Fatima Ansari, a lawyer and an author of legal books, to better understand the legal rights of gig workers in India.
