In a time characterized by hyper-connectivity, the previously distinct boundary between our work and personal lives has grown increasingly hazy. The pervasive availability of smartphones and the expectation of perpetual readiness have created an ‘always-on’ work ethic that makes many workers feel inextricably connected to their workplaces. This has sparked a very important debate in India and worldwide regarding the “Right to Disconnect” – the right of an employee to disconnect from work-related messages outside of their allotted working hours without any consequences. This blog post explores the urgent need for such a right within the Indian scenario, its present legal status, the arguments for and against its adoption, and the way forward.
The “Always-On” Culture: An Impending Crisis
The ‘always-on’ culture that had been ignited by the same technology that was designed to facilitate greater flexibility has quietly turned into a cause of chronic burnout and stress. The myriad of emails, instant messages, and phone calls outside working hours has bred an atmosphere where workers feel obligated to be always available. This constant connectedness exacts a serious price on mental and physical health. The failure to disconnect mentally from work brings increased levels of stress, worry, and an overwhelming sense that one is never done.
This extended pressure commonly results in emotional, physical, and mental fatigue, a condition informally referred to as burnout. As such, the decline in personal time affects relationships, family life, and the capacity to engage in hobbies and interests, resulting in a declining work-life balance. Contrary to the hypothesis that around-the-clock accessibility increases productivity, research has proven that overworked and exhausted workers tend to be less efficient and more error-prone.
The pandemic of COVID-19, with its widespread practice of remote work, served to further intensify this problem. Home and office became blurred, and it became even more difficult for employees to disconnect. The unfortunate cases of young professionals dying due to work-related stress brought the problem into the spotlight of public debate, pushing the issue of the Right to Disconnect more than ever before.
The Legal Landscape in India: A Nascent Right
Currently, India does not have a specific, overarching legislation that explicitly grants employees the Right to disconnect. However, the conversation is gaining momentum, and there have been some noteworthy developments. An important initiative was made in 2018 when Supriya Sule, a Member of Parliament, brought to the Lok Sabha a Private Member’s Bill entitled the “Right to Disconnect Bill.” This bill was a pathbreaking legislative proposal with an objective of legally defining boundaries.
It aimed to give employees the right not to accept work-related telephone calls and emails outside their approved hours and, most importantly, to prevent employers from discriminating against employees who exercised it. Additionally, the bill provided for the compulsory formation of an “Employee Welfare Committee” in corporations employing over 10 people to monitor the enforcement of these protections.
Although the bill did not succeed, it served to bring the matter into the legislative mind and generate a national debate. In more recent news, in a welcome turn of events, the state of Kerala has introduced the proposed “Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025,” with the object of giving private sector employees statutory protection against demands for work post-work hours.
In addition to these legislative steps, the Indian judiciary has, in several judgments, acknowledged the value of a work environment with dignity and the right to life and liberty of person under Article 21 of the Constitution. Although these judgments have not directly dealt with the Right to Disconnect, they have highlighted the necessity of an equilibrium between work and life and of not being exploited, with a realization that employees have a need for their own space without uninterrupted intrusions of work.
The Tug of War: Arguments For and Against the Right to Disconnect
The bill to legislate the Right to Disconnect has had both resounding endorsement and significant trepidation. Those arguing in favor contend that its strongest advantage would be the beneficial effect it would have on the workforce’s mental and physical well-being. By enabling employees to actually rest and recharge, businesses can create an atmosphere that results in increased productivity and creativity during work hours. Additionally, organizations that honor their employees’ personal time are also more likely to keep and attract the best workers, thus lessening turnover costs. Having a formal policy would also set more defined boundaries and expectations for employers and employees as it pertains to after-hours communication, decreasing confusion and conflict.
On the contrary, there are good concerns expressed by critics regarding the feasibility and economic consequences of such a law. The contention is that in a competitive global market, especially in service and IT-related, being responsive across time zones is a critical factor for Indian firms that would be undermined. There are also significant implementation challenges, as enforcing a blanket Right to Disconnect policy across diverse industries with varying operational needs could prove difficult. A major hurdle would be to clearly and universally define what constitutes a genuine emergency that would warrant contacting an employee after hours. Others also worry that a strict policy could unintentionally limit the very flexibility workers now have under remote and hybrid work arrangements.
The International Perspective: Lessons from Abroad
There are already some countries that have enacted legislative measures enshrining the Right to Disconnect in their labor legislation, providing useful models for India. France, a leader on this front, enacted legislation in 2017 that mandates that firms with over 50 workers negotiate a charter of good conduct for the use of digital tools outside working hours. It is an emphasis on conversation and firm-level agreement and not a hard, top-down rule.
In imitation of France, other nations such as Spain, Italy, Belgium, and the Philippines have enacted comparable laws, each adapted to fit their individual economic and cultural environments. These examples from around the world illustrate that it is feasible to design legislation that addresses the demand for employee health while maintaining the functional imperatives of contemporary companies. The most important takeaway for India is to develop a framework that is flexible and provides scope for industry-specific variations as opposed to a template-like approach.
The Way Forward for India: A Balanced Approach
Enacting a Right to Disconnect in India needs to be taken with careful and multi-faceted consideration. There is no one-size-fits-all solution that is likely to be effective in light of the country’s economic diversity. The path forward should be through a mix of strategies that operate in harmony. A clear and comprehensive national law, or at the minimum a set of guidelines, would give a much-needed legal structure, which could be the basis for this right.
This legislation must, however, remain flexible so that industry-specific policies can be formulated through tripartite consultations among the government, employers, and representatives of employees. Apart from state action, corporations themselves must positively promote a culture of respecting the personal time of employees. This may be done through explicit in-house policies, boundary-respecting manager training, and leadership modeling positive work-life behaviors. Last, employees need to be made aware of their rights and enabled to establish boundaries without risking retribution so that whatever legal protection they receive becomes a living reality in the workplace.
The discourse on the Right to Disconnect in India is not just about switching off from the work environment; it’s about taking our time back, our health, and our right to a life outside our professional responsibility sphere. As India forges ahead as an economic giant of the world, it also needs to ensure the health and happiness of its most treasured asset – its working population. Now is the time to see that the ‘off’ switch is not a luxury, but a requirement for a productive and sustainable future.
References
- ‘Right to Disconnect’ B
- ill, 2018 (India).
- Kerala’s Right to Disconnect Bill: How it aims to shield private employees from after-hour demands. (2025, October 6). The Times of India.
- Indians Need the Right to Disconnect. (2024, December 18). Lukmaan IAS Blog.
- Supreme Court Upholds Employees’ Right to Disconnect from Work. The Law Codes.
- Right to Disconnect Bill, 2018 – a Contemporary Analysis of Employee Rights in India. (2022, December 20). Centre for Labour Laws, NLIU.
- ‘Right to disconnect’ bill speaks for private employees. (2025, October 3). The New Indian Express.
- Right to Disconnect. Shankar IAS Parliament.
- Know everything about Right to Disconnect in India. Legal SYNK.
- All India Bank of Baroda Officers’ Union Demands ‘Right to Disconnect’ to Combat “Unbearable Work Pressure”. (2025, October 7). Kanal-News Portal.
- Future Of Work: What About The Right To Disconnect?. The Secretariat.
- Most Indian employers support ‘right to disconnect’. Staffing Industry Analysts.
- Right to Disconnect Law: Meaning, Benefits, Global Examples & India’s Scenario. Tarun IAS.
- Right to disconnect – Significance and Challenges- Explained Pointwise. ForumIAS.
- The Right to Disconnect Law: Navigating Its Pros, Cons, and Top Strategies for Success. ProHance.
- People start working at 6 AM: US based employee reveals the 24/7 work culture in corporate jobs. (2025, October 6). The Times of India.
- ‘Always-on’ work culture can pose health threats to workers, says study. (2020, October 23). The Times of India.
- The Work-Life Balance Crisis: India’s 90-Hour Work Culture Under Scrutiny. NASSCOM Community.
- Right to disconnect. Wikipedia.
- The right to disconnect: which countries have legislated?. Elmzell.
- Is India ready for right to disconnect from work? Industry experts say…. (2025, February 28). India Today.
Author Name- Pratyush Sharma, 3rd Year Law Student at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Sonepat
