Minimum Wages in Haryana (2026): New Rates by Category, VDA Status and Employer Rules

If you employ people anywhere in Haryana — a packer in a Manesar auto-parts plant, a security guard in a Gurugram office, a weaver's helper in Panipat or a shop assistant in Faridabad — the state's minimum wage notification sets the least you can pay. In April 2026 Haryana replaced its old system of six classes and twice-yearly DA additions with four new, much higher basic rates. Many payroll websites still show the 2025 figures. This page gives you the rates in force, checked against the Labour Department's own documents, with daily and hourly equivalents, ₹ payroll examples and the employer rules under the Code on Wages.

Quick answer

Haryana's minimum wages in force from 1 April 2026 are ₹15,220.71 a month for unskilled, ₹16,780.74 for semi-skilled, ₹18,500.81 for skilled and ₹19,425.85 for highly skilled workers, under a notification dated 9 April 2026. When we last checked, on 16 October 2026, no later revision or VDA order had been published.

• Daily rates: ₹585.41 (unskilled) to ₹747.14 (highly skilled) — monthly ÷ 26

• These are basic rates — the notification bars employers from splitting them into allowances

• Same rates across the state, including Gurugram and Faridabad; brick kilns get a separate notification

• On 5 October 2026 the Labour Commissioner ordered strict enforcement, including in small shops, after a High Court PIL

Haryana minimum wage rates in 2026

The table below reproduces the notification issued by the Labour Department on 9 April 2026 (No. 2/25/26-2 Lab, published in the Haryana Government Gazette Extraordinary No. 51-2026). It was made under section 8(3) of the Code on Wages, 2019, after a state advisory committee reported, and it replaces the basic rates fixed back in October 2015. The hourly figures are our own calculation, dividing the daily rate by an 8-hour working day.

The rates apply to every establishment, factory, employee, worker and contract labourer as defined in the Code on Wages — not just to a list of scheduled employments as before. The only carve-out in the notification is brick kilns, whose rates are to be notified separately. Apprentices engaged under the Apprentices Act, 1961 are paid under that Act instead.

Haryana minimum wages at a glance

₹15,220.71

Unskilled, per month

₹585.41/day

₹18,500.81

Skilled, per month

₹711.56/day

₹19,425.85

Highly skilled, per month

₹747.14/day

1 April 2026

Latest official revision in force

Haryana minimum wage calculator

Skill level / category

UnskilledSemi-skilledSkilledHighly skilled

Days worked in the month

Overtime hours

Actual wage paid (₹/month, optional)

Months underpaid

A full month is 26 working days; the daily rate is the monthly rate ÷ 26 where the order fixes only a monthly figure.

Monthly minimum (26 days)₹15,220.71

Daily rate₹585.41

Pay for 26 days₹15,220.71

Overtime at 2× (₹146.35/hour)₹0

Minimum gross pay this month₹15,220.71

Overtime is paid at twice the ordinary rate (daily rate ÷ 8 hours). Arrears assume the same shortfall in every month since the rates took effect on 1 April 2026; a claim under the Code on Wages must generally be filed within 3 years. Estimates only — check the order for your employment.

What changed in April 2026

Until March 2026 Haryana used a structure inherited from the Minimum Wages Act, 1948: basic rates fixed in 2015, topped up every January and July with a dearness allowance linked to the consumer price index, and six classes of worker — unskilled, semi-skilled A and B, skilled A and B, and highly skilled. Under the last of those half-yearly orders, effective from 1 July 2025, an unskilled worker's minimum was about ₹11,274.60 a month, according to payroll trackers that published the order.

The April 2026 notification changes four things at once.

A big jump in the rates. The unskilled minimum rose from roughly ₹11,275 to ₹15,220.71 — an increase of about 35%. The highly skilled rate went from about ₹14,390 to ₹19,425.85. For labour-intensive units such as garment workshops, warehousing and security agencies, this is the largest change to payroll costs in years.

Four categories instead of six. The A and B sub-classes are gone. The notification lists only unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled, which matches the categories section 6 of the Code on Wages talks about. You need to remap every job you previously classed as "semi-skilled B" or "skilled A".

Basic rates only. Note 1 says the rates are basic rates that the employer may not segregate into allowances. Previously many employers showed the minimum as basic plus DA. Now the whole figure is basic, and anything else — HRA, conveyance, attendance bonus — sits on top.

One state-wide rate. There are no zones or district categories, unlike Uttar Pradesh. A helper in Hisar and a helper in Gurugram have the same floor.

Recent Haryana minimum wage changes

21 Oct 2015

Last full fixation of basic rates; DA revised every January and July after that

1 Jul 2025

Last half-yearly DA revision under the old structure — unskilled about ₹11,275/month

21 Nov 2025

Code on Wages comes into force; Minimum Wages Act, 1948 repealed

9 Apr 2026

New basic rates notified under s.8(3) of the Code, w.e.f. 1 Apr 2026 — unskilled ₹15,220.71

4 May 2026

Draft Code on Wages (Haryana) Rules, 2026 published for objections

5 Oct 2026

Labour Commissioner orders enforcement in all establishments, including petty shops

VDA and DA: what happens next

People searching for "Haryana minimum wages VDA" are usually looking for the half-yearly DA amount. Under the new notification there isn't a separate VDA figure yet. Note 1 says there will be 100% neutralisation of any rise or fall in the consumer price index on a pro-rata basis, with the adjustment "made further as prescribed in Code on Wages Rules, 2026". Note 2 adds that the rates now fixed will not fall even if the index drops.

The rules that will set the mechanism were still in draft when we last checked on 16 October 2026. The draft Code on Wages (Haryana) Rules, 2026, published on 4 May 2026, propose that the cost-of-living allowance be computed before 1 April and before 1 October every year, using the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers published by Haryana's Department of Economic and Statistical Affairs. That would move Haryana from the old January/July cycle to an April/October one, like Delhi.

What this means for you: until the rules are final and the first DA order appears, pay at least the April 2026 basic rates. When a DA order is published, check its effective date carefully — it may apply from a date before it was issued, and you will owe arrears from that date.

The enforcement circular and the High Court PIL

A notification on paper does not always reach a roadside dhaba or a two-person shop. In 2026 the Punjab and Haryana High Court took up the issue on its own motion: CWP-PIL-255 of 2026, Court on its own motion v. State of Haryana, in which it was alleged that the April notification was not being implemented in petty establishments. The case was listed for 28 October 2026.

On 5 October 2026 the Labour Commissioner wrote to every Deputy Labour Commissioner, Assistant Labour Commissioner and Labour Inspector in the field, directing them to implement the 9 April 2026 notification "in letter and spirit" in all establishments, including petty ones, and warning that laxity would be viewed seriously. Expect more inspections in late 2026, especially of small shops, eateries and service businesses that had not updated their pay.

The allowance-split debate. Some employment lawyers argue that Note 1, which bans splitting the minimum into allowances, goes beyond the Code on Wages. Section 7 of the Code allows minimum wages to be fixed as a basic rate plus a cost-of-living allowance, or as an all-inclusive rate, and the Supreme Court struck down a similar Haryana condition in a 2019 case. A challenge is possible. But a notification stays binding until a court sets it aside, so the safe course is to treat the whole minimum as basic pay.

Which category does your worker fall into?

The notification lists the four categories without defining them, so classify by the work actually done, using the general meaning the Code and earlier Haryana orders gave these terms:

• Unskilled — work that needs no special training or experience: helpers, loaders, sweepers, peons, watchmen, packing and delivery staff.
• Semi-skilled — work that needs some training or experience, done under supervision: machine helpers, assistant operators, junior tailors, assistant cooks, store helpers.
• Skilled — work that needs training and experience and is done independently: electricians, fitters, welders, CNC operators, drivers, cooks, tailors, data-entry operators, accounts assistants.
• Highly skilled — work requiring a high degree of skill and responsibility, often with formal qualifications: tool-and-die makers, senior technicians, supervisors of skilled crews.

Job titles don't decide the category. A "trainee" who operates a CNC machine alone is skilled, and a "supervisor" who mainly loads trucks is unskilled. Where a job could fit two categories, paying the higher rate protects you in an inspection.

Haryana vs Delhi vs UP (NCR) — unskilled minimum per month

State	Unskilled rate	In force from	Structure
Delhi	₹18,456	1 April 2025	Basic + DA, revised April and October
Haryana (incl. Gurugram, Faridabad)	₹15,220.71	1 April 2026	Single basic rate, 4 categories, statewide
Uttar Pradesh — Category I (Noida, Ghaziabad)	₹13,690	1 April 2026	Basic + VDA, 3 district tiers

Delhi

Unskilled rate

₹18,456

In force from

1 April 2025

Structure

Basic + DA, revised April and October

Haryana (incl. Gurugram, Faridabad)

Unskilled rate

₹15,220.71

In force from

1 April 2026

Structure

Single basic rate, 4 categories, statewide

Uttar Pradesh — Category I (Noida, Ghaziabad)

Unskilled rate

₹13,690

In force from

1 April 2026

Structure

Basic + VDA, 3 district tiers

Worked payroll examples in ₹

Example 1 — a skilled operator in Manesar. Ravi is a skilled machine operator on the minimum rate of ₹18,500.81. In September he takes 2 days of unpaid leave and works 12 overtime hours.

• Deduction for unpaid leave, using the notification's 30-day divisor: ₹18,500.81 ÷ 30 × 2 = ₹1,233.39
• Wages for the month: ₹18,500.81 − ₹1,233.39 = ₹17,267.42
• Overtime at twice the normal rate (Code on Wages s.14): 12 × ₹177.89 = ₹2,134.68
• Gross: ₹19,402.10
• ESI applies because his wages are below ₹21,000/month: employee share at 0.75% ≈ ₹145.52; your share at 3.25% ≈ ₹630.57
• EPF: his PF wages for the month (₹17,267.42 — overtime is excluded) are below the ₹25,000 a month ceiling, so employee PF at 12% of wages = ₹2,072.09 (and the same from you)
• Net pay ≈ ₹19,402.10 − ₹145.52 − ₹2,072.09 = ₹17,184.49

Haryana does not levy professional tax, so there is no PT deduction, unlike in many other states (see our professional tax guide). Haryana does run a Labour Welfare Fund with its own small contribution, which you should check separately.

Example 2 — a daily-rated helper. A helper (unskilled) works 20 days in a month at a construction site in Sonipat. Minimum pay = 20 × ₹585.41 = ₹11,708.20. If the same helper works all 26 working days, pay the monthly rate of ₹15,220.71.

Example 3 — a trainee. A new CNC trainee would be due 75% of the skilled rate: 0.75 × ₹18,500.81 = ₹13,875.61. That is below the unskilled rate, and the notification says a trainee can never be paid less than an unskilled worker. So the trainee must get at least ₹15,220.71, and the training period cannot exceed one year. In practice, the "75% rule" never bites in Haryana — the unskilled rate is the floor for every trainee.

Example 4 — arrears for missed revision. A small shop in Karnal kept paying its unskilled assistant the old ₹11,274.60 from April to September 2026. Shortfall per month: ₹15,220.71 − ₹11,274.60 = ₹3,946.11. Over six months: ₹23,676.66 in arrears. If the worker files a claim, the authority can also award compensation of up to 10 times the claim, and the employer faces a fine of up to ₹50,000. Paying the arrears now is far cheaper.

Monthly payroll check for a minimum-wage worker in Haryana

Step 1

Map job to 1 of 4 categories

Step 2

Basic ≥ notified rate

allowances on top

Step 3

Leave deduction

monthly ÷ 30

Step 4

Overtime

2× hourly

Step 5

ESI / PF

Step 6

Pay by the 7th

with wage slip

Employer obligations in Haryana under the Code on Wages

The rate is only part of the duty. The Code on Wages, and the notification's own notes, add these:

• Pay on time. Monthly wages must be paid before the end of the 7th day of the next month; weekly wages before the weekly holiday; daily wages at the end of the shift (section 17).
• Final settlement within two working days when an employee resigns, is dismissed or is retrenched.
• Contractors are your responsibility. Note 5 makes the occupier or principal employer personally responsible for ensuring that contractors and service providers pay these rates. If your security agency or housekeeping vendor underpays, the liability comes back to you.
• Equal pay. Note 4 repeats that there is no difference between wages for men and women, matching section 3 of the Code.
• No paying below a similar worker. Note 6 says no worker may be paid less than the minimum for a similar category with the same skills and experience.
• Weekly rest. The draft Haryana rules require a paid weekly rest day — Sunday by default in a six-day week, unless you fix another day.
• Registers and wage slips. Keep a register of employees, muster roll and wages, and issue a wage slip — physical or electronic — to every employee (section 50; the draft Haryana rules prescribe the forms).
• Overtime at double rate for work beyond normal hours (section 14).

Haryana minimum wage compliance checklist

0/8

• Remap every job from the old six classes to the four new categories by the work actually done
• Make sure each person's basic pay alone is at least the April 2026 rate — allowances can't count towards it
• Pay arrears from 1 April 2026 if you were still on the old rates
• Update the notice board and appointment letters with the new rates
• Use ÷26 for daily rates and ÷30 for leave deductions
• Get monthly proof from manpower contractors that they pay at least these rates
• Issue wage slips showing basic, overtime, allowances and every deduction
• Watch the Labour Department site for the final Haryana rules and the first DA order

Share Print

A payslip that shows the basic rate on its own line, with allowances and overtime separately, makes compliance easy to prove in an inspection. Our free salary slip generator does that and includes PF and ESI fields.

Common mistakes Haryana employers are making in 2026

Using a 2025 rate card. If your payroll software or HR policy still says ₹11,000-something for unskilled staff, it is out of date. The difference is large enough that six months of underpayment can add up to over ₹20,000 per worker.

Counting HRA towards the minimum. Under the April 2026 notification, a package of "₹12,000 basic + ₹3,500 HRA" does not meet the unskilled minimum, because the basic alone must be ₹15,220.71.

Keeping old A/B classes. "Semi-skilled B" no longer exists. Leaving a worker on an old class can hide underpayment.

Treating trainees as cheap labour. As Example 3 shows, trainees must get at least the unskilled rate, and only for up to a year.

Assuming Delhi or UP rules apply. NCR employers often run one pay policy. Delhi's rates are higher than Haryana's and UP's are lower, so match each worker to the state where they actually work — or pay everyone at least the highest rate. Compare with our guides to minimum wages in Delhi and minimum wages in Uttar Pradesh.

What if a worker is underpaid?

Under section 45 of the Code on Wages, a worker or a trade union can file a claim for unpaid minimum wages within 3 years. The authority can order the employer to pay the shortfall plus compensation of up to 10 times the claim. Separately, paying less than the minimum is an offence under section 54: a fine of up to ₹50,000 for a first offence, and up to ₹1 lakh fine and/or 3 months' imprisonment for a repeat within five years. Haryana's Labour Department also runs an online complaint panel on its website, and inspectors have been told to act on the April notification.

If you find you've underpaid, the cleanest fix is to calculate arrears from 1 April 2026 (or the worker's joining date if later), pay them in a separate line on the next wage slip, and keep the working on file.

Official links

• Haryana Labour DepartmentNews & Notifications lists the latest orders
• Notification dated 9 April 2026 — rates w.e.f. 1 April 2026Haryana Gazette Extra. No. 51-2026
• Labour Commissioner circular dated 5 Oct 2026 — enforcement of the April notification
• Draft Code on Wages (Haryana) Rules, 2026Proposed April/October DA revision
• The Code on Wages, 2019 (India Code)
• Haryana Labour Department — complaint panel

What to do next

Check every employee's basic pay against the table above this week, and pay any arrears due since 1 April 2026. Then bookmark the Haryana Labour Department's News & Notifications page and look at it around April and October, when the draft rules say DA revisions should come. If you're also working out exit costs, our gratuity guide uses the same wage figures.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice — confirm on the official source or with a professional.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum wage in Haryana right now?

From 1 April 2026, the Haryana Government's notification dated 9 April 2026 fixes ₹15,220.71 a month for unskilled workers, ₹16,780.74 for semi-skilled, ₹18,500.81 for skilled and ₹19,425.85 for highly skilled workers. Daily rates range from ₹585.41 to ₹747.14. When we last checked, on 16 October 2026, no later revision had been published.

Is there VDA on Haryana minimum wages in 2026?

The April 2026 notification fixes basic rates and says there will be 100% neutralisation of changes in the consumer price index, with the adjustment made as prescribed in the Code on Wages (Haryana) Rules, 2026. Those rules were still in draft when we last checked on 16 October 2026; the draft proposes DA revisions before 1 April and 1 October each year. No VDA order on top of the April 2026 rates had been published when we checked.

Do Haryana minimum wages apply in Gurugram and Faridabad?

Yes. The April 2026 rates apply to all employments across Haryana, including Gurugram, Faridabad, Manesar, Sonipat and Panipat. There are no separate zones. A Delhi-registered company with staff working in Gurugram must pay at least the Haryana rates to those staff, because minimum wages follow the place of work.

Can an employer split the Haryana minimum wage into basic and allowances?

The notification says the rates are basic rates that employers are not permitted to split into allowances. So HRA, conveyance and similar allowances must be paid on top of the minimum rate, not carved out of it. Some lawyers argue this clause goes beyond the Code on Wages and could be challenged, but until a court says otherwise employers should follow it.

How is the daily minimum wage in Haryana calculated?

The notification says the daily wage is the monthly wage divided by 26, so ₹15,220.71 ÷ 26 = ₹585.41 for unskilled workers. For deductions such as unpaid leave, the monthly wage is divided by 30 instead, unless the government prescribes otherwise.

What is the minimum wage for trainees in Haryana?

Trainees must get 75% of the rate for their category, but never less than the unskilled rate, and training cannot last more than a year. Because 75% of even the highly skilled rate is below the unskilled rate, in practice every trainee in Haryana must get at least ₹15,220.71 a month.

Sources & verification

Figures on this page were checked against the sources below when it was last reviewed on 16 October 2026. Each rate and limit is stored once with its own official source and review date, and official update channels are monitored daily so changes are picked up. How we verify

1. 1.Notification No. 2/25/26-2 Lab dated 9 April 2026 — minimum rates of wages w.e.f. 1 April 2026 (Haryana Govt Gazette Extra. No. 51-2026) — Labour Department, Government of Haryana · accessed 16 October 2026
2. 2.Implementation of notification dated 09.04.2026 fixing minimum rates of wages — Labour Commissioner circular No. 25744-860 dated 05.10.2026 — Labour Commissioner, Haryana · accessed 7 October 2026
3. 3.Draft Code on Wages (Haryana) Rules, 2026 — Notification No. 02/08/2021-2Lab dated 4 May 2026 — Labour Department, Government of Haryana · accessed 7 October 2026
4. 4.Haryana Labour Department — News & Notifications — Labour Department, Government of Haryana · accessed 7 October 2026
5. 5.The Code on Wages, 2019 (No. 29 of 2019) — India Code, Legislative Department · accessed 7 October 2026
6. 6.Government announces implementation of the four Labour Codes (21 Nov 2025) — PIB — Ministry of Labour & Employment · accessed 7 October 2026
7. 7.Haryana's 2026 minimum wages notification: segregation of wages, allowances and the limits of state power — Corporate Professionals · accessed 7 October 2026
8. 8.Haryana minimum wages revised from July 2025 to December 2025 — HR Informative · accessed 7 October 2026