1. The Labour& ESI Department had its original nomenclature as Labour Employment and Housing Department. In the year 1980, the Housing wing was separated and it became Labour & Employment Department. After further restructuring of departments, the Employment wing was dissociated and this department was renamed as Labour & Employees’ State Insurance Department by virtue of G.A. Department Notification No. 24622/Gen. dt.19.12.2011 read with their Corrigendum No. 3175/Gen. dt.10.02.2012.
2. It is the Nodal Department for formulating plans, policies and programmes for development of different category of labourers including child and adolescent labourers working in both organized and unorganized sectors with an aim to ensurevarious safety & security measures at workplace, social security measures at the hour of need for industrial workers and   maintenance of harmonious industrial relations between the employers and employees by handling the arising industrial disputes situations.

Major Activities undertaken under the Labour Directorate:

1. Enforcement of labour laws for regulating employment conditions of the workmen as mandated under different Labour Acts that inter alia include: -
2. payment of notified minimum rate of wages to the employees engaged under 88 scheduled employments under M.W. Act,1948
3. payment of wages within stipulated time period under the PW Act,1936
4. payment of equal remuneration to male and female workers for same and similar work under the Equal Remuneration Act,1976
5. ensure social security provisions to eligible employees entitled under the Maternity Benefits Act,1961, Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, Employees Compensation Act,1923
6. ensuring welfare provisions for the workers under CL(R&A) Act,1970, ISMW(R&CS) Act,1979, MTWAct,1961, Beedi and Cigar(CE) Act,1966 and BOCW(R&CS) Act,1996 etc.
7.  collection of cess under the B&OCW Cess Act, 1996 etc
8. Implementation of welfare schemes under different Boards viz; Odisha Building & Other Construction Worker’s Welfare Board, Odisha Labour Welfare Board and Odisha Unorganised Worker’s Social Security Board to promote welfare of labour in the organized and unorganised sectors.
9. Implementation of Nirman Shramik Kalyan Yojana, the umbrella scheme for construction workers by registeringas beneficiaries, disbursement of various benefits to eligible beneficiaries.
10. Implementation of State Action Plan for safety and welfare of Inter-state migrant workmen with an objective to protect theirhealth, safety,wages and welfare provisionsduringthe migration as well as safe repatriation.
11.  Implementation of State Action Plan for elimination of child labour in the State by strategic inspection / raid, rescue and proper rehabilitation of the rescued children.
12. Maintenance of Industrial peace and harmony by timely intervention through conciliation for prevention of strikes / lockouts and other forms of industrial unrest.
13. Registration of Trade Unions, verification of membership and recognition of Trade Unions and regulatingtrade union activities.
14. Holding courts of Commissioner under the Employees Compensation Act, Authority under the Minimum Wages Act, Controlling Authority under the Payment of Gratuity Act.
15. Facilitating the Investors by adopting the recommendations of DIPP, Govt. of India under Ease of Doing Business agenda such as Central Inspection Framework system under GOSMILE portal, Single Window online service delivery system under GOSWIFT portal, elimination of renewal of Registration Certificate under OS&CE Rules, introduction of single register substituting multiple registers and introduction of Voluntary Compliance Scheme allowing  the employers for self-declaration of Labour law compliance.