The government has paved the way for employees to work from home (WFH) in a special economic zone unit for a maximum period of one year and the facility can be extended to 50 per cent of total employees, according to the commerce ministry notification on Tuesday. The Department of Commerce has notified a new rule 43A for WFH in Special Economic Zones Rules, 2006.
What does the new rule on WFH implies?
The ministry noted that the notification was issued on demand from the industry to make a provision for a countrywide uniform WFH policy across all Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The new rule offers work from home for a certain category of employees of a unit in SEZ. Such employees can belong to IT/ITeS SEZ units; employees who are temporarily incapacitated; employees who are travelling and who are working offsite, said the ministry.
WFH may be extended to a maximum of 50 per cent of total employees, including contractual employees of the unit, it added."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 said.
For those whose employees in SEZ units are already working from home, the notification has given a transition period of 90 days to seek 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 said.
The notification said flexibility is granted to the Development Commissioner (DC) of SEZs to approve a higher number of employees (more than 50 per cent) for any bonafide reason to be recorded in writing.