The Commerce Ministry Announced Work From Home Rules 

Work from home (WFH) is permitted for a maximum duration of 12 months in a special economic zone unit and can be prolonged to 50 per cent of overall personnel. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Department of Commerce has notified a fresh rule 43A for Work from home 
• WFH allowed for most of 365 days in the special economic zone 
• The notification has been issued on demand from the industry 

Mumbai : Work from home (WFH) is authorised for a maximum duration of 365 days in a special economic zone unit and can be prolonged to 50 per cent of overall personnel, stated the commerce ministry on Tuesday. The Department of Commerce has notified a fresh and new rule 43A for WFH in Special Economic Zones Rules, 2006. The ministry stated the notification turned into issued on call from the industry to make a provision for a country-wide uniform WFH coverage throughout all Special Economic Zones (SEZs). 

To join our whatsapp group

Click here

The new rule gives work at home for a specific category of personnel of a unit in SEZ. These consist of personnel of IT/ITeS SEZ units; personnel who are temporarily incapacitated; personnel who are journeying and who’re working offsite, it added. WFH can be prolonged to a maximum of fifty per cent of overall personnel, which includes contractual personnel of the unit, it added. The ministry stated – Work From Home is now allowed for a maximum length of 365 days. However, the same may also, in addition, be prolonged for 365 days at a time by the DC on the request of units. 

Read More ;- New labour codes will bring new appointment letters with Aadhaar, a job growth direction for all employees

In respect of SEZ units whose personnel are already operating from home, the notification has offered a transition duration of ninety days to seek approval. The ministry stated – SEZ Units will offer equipment and secured connectivity for WFH to carry out approved operations of the units. Also,  the permission to take out the equipment is synchronous with the permission granted to an employee. It additionally stated that there’s flexibility granted to the Development Commissioner (DC) of SEZs to approve a better range of personnel (more than 50 per cent) for any bonafide purpose to be recorded in writing. 

COVID-19 AFTERMATH 

In the year 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted labour markets globally. The short-time period outcomes have been surprising and often severe: Millions of people have been furloughed or lost jobs, and others hastily adjusted to working from home as workplaces closed. Many other employees have been deemed important and continued to work in hospitals and grocery stores, on garbage vehicles and in warehouses, but under new protocols to lessen the spread of the unconventional coronavirus. 
Before COVID-19, the biggest disruptions to work concerning new technology and the development of alternate links. COVID-19 has, for the first time, multiplied the significance of the physical dimension of work.