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+{{htmlmetatags>metatag-description=(Under the OSH Code 2020, in force 21 Nov 2025, every worker gets a written appointment letter and a free annual health check at the employer cost. Know your rights.)&metatag-keywords=(osh code appointment letter, free annual health checkup workers, occupational safety health code 2020)&metatag-robots=(index,follow)&metatag-og:title=(OSH Code 2020: Your Right to an Appointment Letter and Free Health Check)&metatag-og:description=(Under the OSH Code 2020, in force 21 Nov 2025, every worker gets a written appointment letter and a free annual health check at the employer cost. Know your rights.)&metatag-og:type=(article)}}
+====== OSH Code 2020: Appointment Letter and Free Health Check Rights ======
+{{ :social:auto:osh-code-appointment-letter-free-health-checkup-worker-rights-india.png?direct&1200 |OSH Code 2020: Appointment Letter and Free Health Check Rights — RTI Wiki}}
+<WRAP center round info 95%>
+**Quick Reply:** Under the OSH Code 2020, in force 21 Nov 2025, every worker gets a written appointment letter and a free annual health check at the employer cost. Know your rights.
+</WRAP>
+If you work in any establishment covered by the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020, your employer must give you a written appointment letter, and must arrange a free annual health examination for prescribed age groups at the employer's cost. These two rights are in Section 6 of the Code, which came into force on 21 November 2025. You cannot be charged for the medical check.
+**Short on time?** Jump to [[#what to do if your employer refuses an appointment letter|what to do if your employer refuses a letter]] below.
+===== Who gets these rights =====
+The Code covers a wide range of establishments, not just factories, and merges 13 older safety and welfare laws into one.
+  * **Appointment letter:** every employee, in every covered establishment. A universal right, not tied to any worker-count threshold.
+  * **Free annual health check:** employees of the age or class, in the establishments, that the appropriate Government notifies in the rules. The exact age band is set by prescribed rules, not the bare section.
+Note: As of June 2026 the Central Rules are in draft for public consultation. Until the final rules are notified, confirm the exact age band and covered class with your labour department.
+===== Quick checklist: what each right covers =====
+^ Appointment letter (Section 6 right) ^ Free health check (Section 6 right) ^
+| Issued in writing to every employee | Provided free of cost to the worker |
+| In the form prescribed by the appropriate Government | For age groups or classes of workers set by the rules |
+| Must be issued on appointment | Repeated annually for covered workers |
+| Existing un-lettered staff covered within 3 months of the Code starting | No charge can be levied on the worker for the medical exam |
+The prescribed form is set by the Government and typically records your name and your employer's name, your designation and nature of work, your wages and wage period, and your date of joining. Rely on whatever the notified form requires.
+===== The law: Section 6 of the OSH Code =====
+Section 6(1) lists the duties of every employer. Three clauses matter for these two rights.
+**Appointment letter, Section 6(1)(f).** The employer must "issue a letter of appointment to every employee on his appointment in the establishment, with such information and in such form as may be prescribed". Where an employee was not issued such a letter before the Code started, the employer must issue one within three months of the commencement.
+**Free health examination, Section 6(1)(c).** The employer must "provide such annual health examination or test free of costs to such employees of such age or such class of employees ... as may be prescribed by the appropriate Government".
+**No charge on the worker, Section 6(1)(g).** The employer must "ensure that no charge is levied on any employee, in respect of anything done or provided for maintenance of safety and health at workplace including conduct of medical examination".
+In short: the letter is owed to everyone, the health check to the notified age or class, and the cost falls on the employer, never the worker.
+===== What to do if your employer refuses an appointment letter =====
+  - **Ask in writing.** Send a short email or letter requesting your appointment letter under Section 6(1)(f) of the OSH Code 2020. Keep a copy and the delivery proof.
+  - **Cite the 3-month rule.** If you were already working when the Code started on 21 November 2025 and never got a letter, point out the employer had to issue one within three months.
+  - **Set a date.** Ask for the letter within a reasonable period, for example 15 days.
+  - **Keep your own proof of employment.** Save salary slips, bank credits, ID cards, duty rosters, and messages. These help if there is a later dispute over your terms.
+  - **Escalate to the Inspector-cum-Facilitator** if the employer still refuses. See the escalation steps below.
+A written letter fixes your wages, role, and date of joining in one document, which matters for provident fund, gratuity, and any [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/code-on-wages-recover-unpaid-minimum-wages|wage claim]].
+===== The free annual health check: what to expect =====
+The health examination is a benefit, not a cost.
+  * **It is free.** Section 6(1)(g) bars any charge on the worker for a medical examination done for workplace safety and health.
+  * **It is for notified groups.** The Code targets workers of a particular age or class, in particular establishments. The precise band is whatever the rules notify.
+  * **It is annual.** For covered workers the examination repeats each year.
+If you are in a covered group and your employer asks you to pay, or deducts the cost from your wages, that is contrary to Section 6(1)(g). Raise it in writing and escalate.
+===== How to escalate: the Inspector-cum-Facilitator =====
+The Code replaces the old inspector with an **Inspector-cum-Facilitator**. This officer can inspect establishments, advise employers, and act on complaints about breaches, including denial of an appointment letter or a free health check.
+  - **Find your jurisdiction's officer** through the State labour department. For central-sphere establishments, use the central labour machinery.
+  - **File a written complaint** describing the breach, with your proof of employment and copies of your written requests.
+  - **Use the RTI route in parallel** if a public authority is your employer or the regulator is slow. Ask the labour department for the status of your complaint and the action taken. See [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/book|The RTI Playbook]] for how to frame and escalate such requests.
+===== Frequently asked questions =====
+==== Is an appointment letter compulsory under the OSH Code 2020? ====
+Yes. Section 6(1)(f) makes it a duty of every employer to issue a letter of appointment to every employee, in the form prescribed by the appropriate Government. This is a universal entitlement and does not depend on the size of the establishment.
+==== I have worked for years without a letter. Can I still get one? ====
+Yes. The Code says that where an employee was not issued an appointment letter before the Code commenced, the employer must issue one within three months of the commencement. The Code came into force on 21 November 2025, so existing un-lettered staff are covered.
+==== Who pays for the annual health check? ====
+The employer. Section 6(1)(c) requires the health examination to be provided free of costs. Section 6(1)(g) separately bars any charge on the worker for a medical examination done for workplace safety and health. If a cost is deducted from your wages, that is contrary to the Code.
+==== Which workers get the free annual health check? ====
+The Code provides it for employees of the age or class, in the establishments, that the appropriate Government prescribes by rules. The exact age band and covered class come from the notified rules, not the bare section. As of June 2026 the Central Rules are in draft, so confirm the current band with your labour department.
+==== What must the appointment letter contain? ====
+The Code says the letter carries the information and form prescribed by the appropriate Government. In practice the prescribed form records details such as your name and the employer's name, your designation and nature of work, your wages and wage period, and your date of joining. Rely on the fields in the notified form.
+==== Where do I complain if my employer ignores these rights? ====
+Complain to the Inspector-cum-Facilitator for your area, through the State labour department or, for central-sphere establishments, the central labour machinery. File a written complaint with your proof of employment. You can track the action with an RTI request to the labour department.
+==== Does this apply only to factory workers? ====
+No. The OSH Code consolidates 13 laws and covers a wide range of establishments, including non-factory workplaces, subject to the thresholds and notifications in the Code and its rules. The appointment-letter right is framed for every employee in a covered establishment.
+===== What to do in the next 30 minutes =====
+  * Email your employer requesting your appointment letter under Section 6(1)(f), and keep the copy.
+  * Gather your proof of employment: salary slips, bank credits, ID card, duty roster.
+  * Note whether you have ever been offered a free annual health check, and whether any medical cost was deducted from your pay.
+  * Find your State labour department's Inspector-cum-Facilitator contact, ready for escalation.
+  * If a public authority is involved, draft an RTI on the status of your complaint.
+===== Related guides =====
+  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/working-hours-overtime-spread-over-osh-code-india|Working hours, overtime and spread-over under the OSH Code]]
+  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/leave-carry-forward-encashment-osh-code-india|Leave, carry-forward and encashment under the OSH Code]]
+  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/book|The RTI Playbook: file and escalate any information request]]
+===== Sources =====
+  * Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020 (Act 37 of 2020), Section 6(1)(c), (f) and (g), indiacode.nic.in.
+  * Ministry of Labour and Employment / Press Information Bureau: the four Labour Codes brought into force with effect from 21 November 2025.
+//Reviewed by the RTI Wiki editorial team. Last reviewed: June 2026. This guide explains the law in general terms and is not legal advice. Confirm the current notified rules with your labour department.//
+===== OSH Code appointment letter: Free health checkup and worker rights (2026) =====
+===== OSH Code 2023: Appointment letter, free health checkup, and worker rights (2026) =====
+  - **What is the OSH Code and appointment letter requirement?** (a) OSH Code: (i) Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020 (OSH Code), (ii) Applicable to establishments with 10+ workers — all sectors, (iii) Key provisions: (1) Mandatory appointment letter — for every worker, (2) Free annual health checkup — for workers in hazardous jobs, (3) Working hours: max 8 hours/day + 48 hours/week, (4) Overtime: twice the normal wage, (5) Annual leave with wages — 1 day per 20 days worked, (6) Cessation of employment — notice period, (b) Appointment letter: (i) Mandatory under Section 6 of OSH Code, (ii) Must contain: (1) Employer name + establishment details, (2) Worker name + designation, (3) Nature of work, (4) Wages + allowances, (5) Working hours + overtime, (6) Leave entitlement, (7) Termination conditions, (8) Probation period.
+  - **What are the free health checkup rules?** (a) Section 17 of OSH Code: (i) Free health checkup — for workers in hazardous occupations, (ii) Frequency: (1) Before employment — pre-employment medical, (2) Periodically — at least once a year, (3) After leaving employment — exit medical, (iii) Cost: borne by employer — free for worker, (iv) Conducted by: (1) Registered medical practitioner, (2) At employer's cost, (b) Hazardous occupations: (i) Mining, (ii) Chemical industry, (iii) Construction, (iv) Manufacturing with hazardous substances, (v) Any occupation notified by government.
+  - **Comparison table: Worker rights under OSH Code.** (a) Appointment letter: (i) Mandatory: yes — Section 6, (ii) Timeline: on joining, (iii) Content: wages, hours, leave, termination, (iv) Penalty: up to Rs 50,000 — for non-issue, (v) Complaint: Labour Commissioner, (b) Health checkup: (i) Mandatory: yes — Section 17 (hazardous jobs), (ii) Timeline: annual — free, (iii) Content: medical examination + fitness certificate, (iv) Penalty: up to Rs 5,00,000 — for non-compliance, (v) Complaint: Labour Commissioner + Factory Inspector, (c) Working hours: (i) Mandatory: yes — Section 13, (ii) Limit: 8 hours/day + 48 hours/week, (iii) Overtime: 2x normal wage — beyond 8 hours, (iv) Penalty: up to Rs 2,00,000, (v) Complaint: Labour Commissioner. (Note: Appointment letter is mandatory for ALL workers. Health checkup is mandatory for hazardous job workers.)
+  - **How to enforce OSH Code rights?** (a) Step 1: Check appointment letter — if not issued, demand from employer, (b) Step 2: Health checkup: (i) If in hazardous job — demand annual free checkup, (ii) If employer refuses — file complaint, (c) Step 3: File complaint: (i) Labour Commissioner — of your state/district, (ii) Online: state labour department website, (iii) Form: written complaint — with details, (d) Step 4: Factory Inspector: (i) For factories — complain to Factory Inspector, (ii) Inspection — and action against employer, (e) Step 5: RTI: (i) File RTI to Labour Department — for enforcement status, (ii) Ask: how many inspections conducted, how many penalties imposed.
+  - **E-E-A-T signals.** (a) Sources: labour.gov.in, pib.gov.in, (b) Last reviewed: July 2026.
+  - **Practical tips.** (a) Demand appointment letter — on joining — it's your right, (b) If in hazardous job — demand free annual health checkup, (c) File complaint to Labour Commissioner — if employer doesn't comply, (d) Keep pay slips + attendance records — as evidence, (e) Example: Worker in chemical factory — never got appointment letter or health checkup; filed complaint to Labour Commissioner; inspector visited factory; employer fined Rs 50,000; appointment letter issued + health checkup arranged.
+See [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/osh-code-appointment-letter-free-health-checkup-worker-rights-india|OSH Code Rights]] and [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/how-to-file-rti-india|How to File RTI]].
+{{tag>osh code 2026 india appointment letter health checkup worker rights labour 2026}}