The debate around work-life balance in India has intensified over the past few years, especially with influential business leaders championing a culture of long working hours and round-the-clock availability. Against this backdrop, Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule has introduced the Right to Disconnect Bill 2025, a private member’s bill aimed at safeguarding employees from the growing pressures of digital over-connectivity. As modern workplaces shift towards remote and hybrid structures, the boundaries between personal time and professional responsibilities have blurred significantly. This Bill seeks to address that imbalance by ensuring employees are not compelled to remain available beyond working hours.
What Is the Right to Disconnect Bill 2025?
The Right to Disconnect Bill 2025 is a legislative proposal that gives employees the legal right to ignore work-related calls, emails, messages, and digital communication after official working hours. The primary objective is to reduce digital burnout, protect mental health, and ensure that an employee’s personal time remains genuinely personal.
The Bill was first introduced by Supriya Sule on October 28, 2019, but its relevance has grown substantially in the post-pandemic era as digital communication has become constant and unavoidable.
Key Features of the Right to Disconnect Bill 2025
The Bill outlines several important provisions designed to restore balance between work and personal life. Here are the most significant clauses explained in a simple, reader-friendly format:
1. Employees Can Refuse After-Hours Communication
The Bill gives every employee the right to disconnect from work after office hours. This means workers can refuse to respond to:
- Phone calls
- Emails
- WhatsApp messages
- Video calls
- Any other form of digital communication
2. No Punishment for Refusing Communication
The Bill strictly prohibits employers from penalising employees who choose not to engage in work-related communication outside working hours. No disciplinary action can be taken against them for ignoring calls or texts after work.
3. Overtime Pay for After-Hours Work
If an employee voluntarily chooses to respond to calls or perform tasks after office hours, they are entitled to overtime pay, calculated at the normal wage rate.
4. Mutually Agreed After-Hours Contact Window
The employer can contact an employee after office hours only during a mutually agreed time window. This is meant to maintain flexibility while preventing misuse of digital communication tools.
5. Counselling and Work-Life Balance Support
The Bill proposes the establishment of government counselling services to help employees manage work pressure and maintain psychological well-being.
6. Digital Detox Centres
One of the most innovative features of the Bill is the proposal to establish digital detox centres. These centres will offer counselling and awareness sessions to guide citizens on healthy usage of digital tools and communication platforms.
7. Penalty for Non-Compliance
If a company violates the provisions of the Bill, it may face penalties amounting to 1% of the total remuneration paid to its employees. This provision underscores the seriousness of enforcing after-hours boundaries.
Why Is the Right to Disconnect Bill Important in 2025?
1. Rising Digital Burnout
With smartphones and high-speed internet, work is no longer confined to the office. Employees regularly receive emails and queries at night, over weekends, and even during holidays. This constant engagement has led to increased burnout, anxiety, and mental fatigue.
2. Remote and Hybrid Work Challenges
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work has become the norm. While flexible, it has also eliminated the boundary between home and office. The Right to Disconnect Bill aims to legally restore this boundary.
3. Lack of Legal Protection for Employees
India currently lacks dedicated legal provisions protecting employees from after-hours work demands. The Bill fills a major gap in labour regulation.
4. Global Precedence
Countries such as France, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, and others already have Right to Disconnect laws. India’s Bill follows this global trend.
Work-Life Balance Debate: Why the Bill Is Gaining Attention
The Bill has resurfaced at a time when several prominent Indian business leaders have made strong statements promoting long working hours and high-pressure work cultures.
Narayana Murthy’s 70–72 Hour Work Week Comment
In 2023 and again in 2024, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy advocated a 70-hour work week, stating that he does not believe in traditional work-life balance. His remarks triggered widespread controversy, particularly among young professionals.
L&T Chairman on Working Sundays
A viral video showed L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan expressing regret that he “could not make employees work on Sundays.” He even said he would be “happier” if he could mandate Sunday work.
Gautam Adani on Family Time
Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani stated that spending eight hours with family was unnecessary for everyone and that work-life balance should not be universalised.
Bhavish Aggarwal on Weekends Being “Western Imports”
Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal argued that Saturday-Sunday weekends are Western impositions, suggesting that Indians historically followed lunar calendars with fewer holidays.
Namita Thapar on Comparing Employees with Founders
Emcure Pharmaceuticals’ Executive Director Namita Thapar criticised the comparison between a founder’s workload and that of employees, calling such comparisons “unfair.”
These statements have amplified discussions about unhealthy work cultures in India, making the Right to Disconnect Bill particularly timely and relevant.
Potential Impact of the Bill
Positive Impacts
- Better mental health and reduced stress
- Improved productivity during working hours
- Clearer boundaries between work and personal life
- Higher job satisfaction among employees
- Protection for remote workers, who often face more after-hours pressure
Challenges in Implementation
- Startups and tech companies may resist strict boundaries due to fast-paced workflows
- Global teams operating across time zones may find it difficult to enforce uniform boundaries
- The line between “urgent communication” and regular communication can become blurry
- Enforcement of penalties may be complex
Despite these challenges, the Bill marks a progressive step towards modernising India’s labour system.
Conclusion: A Progressive Step for a Healthier Future
The Right to Disconnect Bill 2025 is a forward-looking proposal that addresses one of the most critical issues of modern work culture—digital over-connectivity. As Indians grapple with burnout, excessive work pressure, and collapsing personal boundaries, this Bill offers a structured and balanced approach to employee well-being. Even if it does not immediately become law, it has successfully sparked national conversation and may pave the way for future labour reforms.
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