The People Brief ·
The People Brief — October 2026
October's brief covers the PF wage ceiling increase, the slow state-level roll-out of Labour Code rules, the new EPF Scheme 2026, and how AI is widening the HR leader's mandate in India.
01
PF wage ceiling raised from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000
The Ministry of Labour and Employment notified a ₹25,000 monthly wage ceiling for Provident Fund under the Code on Social Security, effective 17 September 2026. Employees earning above ₹15,000 and up to ₹25,000 may now fall under mandatory PF coverage, and capped contributions rise from ₹1,800 to ₹3,000 a month.
What to do: Re-run payroll for affected employees, model the cost and take-home impact, and brief staff before the change shows on payslips.
Source: BDO India02
Only 10 states and UTs have notified Labour Code rules
More than ten months after the four Labour Codes took effect on 21 November 2025, major industrial states including Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have yet to notify final rules, leaving multi-state employers to reconcile differing Centre and state provisions such as leave carry-forward.
What to do: Keep a state-by-state compliance tracker and review leave and working-hour policies for each location.
Source: The Economic Times03
EPF Scheme 2026 now in force
The EPF Scheme 2026 replaced the 1952 scheme from 1 July 2026, with PF withdrawal claims to be settled within three days and pension and insurance claims within 20 days. UPI and ATM withdrawals have been announced but should be treated as not yet generally available until EPFO publishes an operational service.
What to do: Update employee FAQs on withdrawals and avoid sharing unverified social media claims about UPI withdrawals.
Source: NRS Associates04
AI is widening the CHRO mandate in India
AI tools now appear in recruitment screening, learning platforms and employee service desks across IT services, banks and global capability centres, pulling HR leaders into workforce planning, AI governance and reskilling decisions.
What to do: Set clear rules for human review of any AI-assisted people decision and map which roles need reskilling.
Source: SHRM IndiaGet the next issue in your inbox
Compiled with AI-assisted research from the linked public sources. General information only, not legal, tax or statutory advice.