India, Jan. 2 -- Amid brewing controversy around employment conditions of gig-workers, the central government introduced a minimum 90-day work requirement for these workers to access certain employee benefits. The change is part of fresh draft rules under the Social Security Code, which add on to the Ministry of Labour and Employment's bid to bring in a wider overhaul of labour and social security rules to safeguard the interests of these workers.

Under the new framework, workers will need to complete at least 90 days of continuous employment with an employer to qualify for specific social security benefits such as compensation-linked payouts and certain statutory protections.

This is a shift from earlier rules, where eligibility in man...