DNA Explainer: Now you will have right to ignore employers' calls after office hours, read how

Among some of the stalled bills tabled in Parliament today, an interesting Right to Disconnect Bill is also scheduled in this list. The first time Right to Disconnect Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by NCP MP Supriya Sule in 2019 to give employees the right to not respond to employers' calls, texts or emails after office hours. Attempting to tackle the never-ending demands of professional life is the Right to Disconnect Bill. 

This Bill gives employees the right not to respond to communication from employers outside of office hours. The Bill is largely aimed at reducing stress and easing work-related tensions and striving for a better work-life balance. The Bill mandates companies to detail out-of-work demands.

Provisions of the Bill

It will apply to companies with more than 10 employees who will have to set up an Employee Welfare Committee to ensure compliance.

The Employee Welfare Committee that will be created will have to comprise representatives of the company's workforce.

Companies with more than ten employees would periodically negotiate specific terms with their workers, publish their own charter.

The Bill says no disciplinary action can be taken if an employee chooses to not respond to the employer after stipulated work hours.

As per the provisions of the Bill, if the employee works outside the working hours as agreed upon, then he/she is entitled to overtime. 

This would include IT, Communication and Labour Ministers. A study on the impact of digital tools beyond work hours have to be published.

The provisions of the Right to Disconnect Bill includes a charter outlining the employee-employer negotiations that would have to be put out.

Non-adherence with the terms of the Bill would lead to penalties of one per cent of the total employee remuneration. 

The government would also have to provide employee counselling, digital detox centres in a bid to free an employee from digital distractions.

Why is the Bill necessary?

Being connected all the time has been taking a toll on workers the world over, different studies show.

William Becker, from Virginia Tech, has been working on the role of technology in the wellbeing of workers.

He found that even if workers aren't actively checking emails after office hours, can be harmed by an expectation of should be available.

William Becker says that this kind of 'always on' work culture creates anxiety amongst workers.

A study in 2016 found that always being on call is linked with decreased calmness, mood and energy levels.

Non-work hours, during which employees are expected to respond, constrain employee behaviour and cannot be considered leisure time.

Researchers from Northern Illinois University found workers who answered work-related emails after 9 pm had worse quality of sleep.