Work from home allowed in India in SEZs for maximum of a year

The Department of Commerce has notified a new rule related to work from home in Special Economic Zones, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said on Tuesday.

The notification was issued on demand from the industry for making a provision for a country-wide uniform work from home (WFH) policy across all Special Economic Zones. The Department of Commerce thereafter held several rounds of discussions with various stakeholders before firming up the notification, the ministry said in a statement.

As per the new notification, WFH may be extended to maximum 50 per cent of total employees including contractual employees of the unit. There is flexibility granted to the Development Commissioner (DC) of SEZs to approve a higher number of employees (more than 50 per cent) for any bona-fide reason to be recorded in writing.

Work from home is now allowed for a maximum period of one year. However, the same may further be extended for a period of one year at a time by the DC on the request of units. In respect of SEZ units whose employees are already working from home, the notification has provided a transition period of 90 days to seek approval.

SEZ Units will provide equipment and secured connectivity for the purpose of 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.