In the list of stalled bills tabled in Parliament on Friday, is the Right to Disconnect Bill, introduced in Lok Sabha by NCP MP Supriya Sule in 2019, striving to provide a balanced work life for employees, amid the never-ending demands of professional life.
What is the Right to Disconnect Bill?
In order to reduce stress caused due to work-related tension, and strive for a smoother work-life balance, the NCP MP Supriya Sule in 2019 introduced the Right to Disconnect Bill in Lok Sabha.
However, the Bill was stalled in Parliament on Friday.
According to the Bill, employees will have the right to not answer any work-related calls or respond to any emails and/or texts related to it, after office hours. Doing so will not subject the employee to any disciplinary action taken against them.
Any company with over 10 employees will have to follow the prospects of the Bill. This would include the IT, Communication and Labour Ministers.
Provisions of the Bill
As per the Right to Disconnect Bill
- Companies will have to mandatorily set up an Employee Welfare Committee, comprising the representatives of the company’s workforce, in order to ensure compliance.
- Companies will have to make a detailed list of ‘out-of-work’ demands.
- Companies will have to negotiate specific terms of the Bill with employees on regular intervals, and dot down their own charters.
- An employee who decides to work more than the stipulated hours, will be entitled to overtime.
- Shall an employer not adhere to the provisions of the Bill, their penalties would include 1% of the total employee remuneration.
- Companies will have to publish a study on the impact of digital tools beyond work hours.
- The inclusion of government entities is also mentioned in the Bill, as per which, the former will have to provide employee counselling and digital detox centres, for the employee well-being.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.