Commerce Ministry Announces New Work From Home Rules In India- Here's All You Need To Know

Work from home (WFH) is now granted for a maximum duration of one year in a special economic zone unit and can also be extended to 50 per cent of the total employees, stated the commerce ministry on July 19. The Department of Commerce has also notified a fresh rule 43A for WFH in Special Economic Zones Rules, 2006.

New Work From Home Guidelines

The ministry announced the industry released the notification to provide a nationwide uniform WFH policy across all Special Economic Zones (SEZs). This new rule offers work from home for a specific category of employees of a unit in SEZ.

These include employees of ITeS/IT SEZ units, temporarily incapacitated employees, and employees who are travelling and working offsite, it stated. Furthermore, it added that WFH might also be extended to 50 per cent of the total employees, including contractual employees of the unit.

"Work From Home is now allowed for a maximum period of one year. However, the same may further be extended for one year at a time by the DC on the request of units," the ministry was quoted as saying by NDTV.

What Does This Mean?

Regarding SEZ units whose employees are currently working from home, the notification has given a transition period of 90 days to seek any sort of approval.

"SEZ Units will provide equipment and secured connectivity for WFH to perform authorised operations of the units and the permission to take out the equipment is co-terminus with the permission granted to an employee," the ministry added.

It also states that there is the flexibility provided to the Development Commissioner (DC) of SEZs to grant a higher number of employees (more than 50 per cent) for any bonafide reason to be recorded in writing.

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