With the in-office working trend disrupted over the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Indian Government is reportedly working on a comprehensive plan, which would legalize the work from home working model in 2022.
This legal framework would also, according to sources, include fixed work hours for employees and they would be paid additional expenses incurred by them on internet and electricity, covered by employers, while working from home.
What Could the Government’s WHF Framework Include?
Given the rising Covid-19 cases, with fears over the Omicron variant looming globally, companies are deferring their in-office joining dates for employees and the work from home practice continues to extend.
According to a survey conducted by OECD with participation coming in from 25 countries, employees and managers stated that the work from home model resulted in a positive impact for them, in terms of performance and well-being.
According to an ET report citing a top government official, the Indian Govt is working on a legal framework to define the liability of employers for employees who work from home.
Sources privy to the matter stated that in the legal framework, the Govt would legalise not just the work from home model but also the hybrid work model, as per which employees will have to go to the office and work from home on a set number of days in a week.
Many companies across India and the world are currently following these models to safeguard employees from the pandemic.
People closely associated with the matter told ET that the Central government is considering fixing work hours for employees and payment of additional expenses incurred by them for internet and electricity due to working from home.
The report also adds that the Centre had started discussing the assertion of certain rules on the framework for the country to regulate the work from home model since a long time now.
Giving details, the official said that a consultancy firm is being roped in to determine the future of ‘work from home’ culture in the backdrop of the COVID pandemic and the benefits it brings to stakeholders. He further added that in the new structure, companies of all sectors will be asked to follow the guidelines.
The Central government also had in January formalised the work for home structure for the services sector. The rules allowed the employers and employees mutually decide the working hours, added another report.
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