Right to Disconnect Bill explained: What it is and its chances of becoming law

In today’s fast-paced work culture, many employees feel stressed and exhausted due to long hours and constant digital communication. To address this, a new proposal called the Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025 has been introduced in the Lok Sabha. This bill aims to give workers the legal right to ignore work-related calls, messages, and emails after office hours and on holidays. It intends to protect employees from being pressured to stay connected to work all the time, promoting a healthier work-life balance.

The bill was introduced by NCP MP Supriya Sule during the Winter Session of Parliament. She highlighted that the constant expectation to respond to work messages has caused burnout and affected employees’ mental and physical health. By providing the legal right to disconnect, the bill seeks to give workers the freedom to switch off from work once their official duties are over.

The bill proposes the creation of an Employees’ Welfare Authority. This authority would ensure that the rights of employees are protected and that employers follow the rules related to after-hours communication. The authority would also issue guidelines for organizations and resolve any disputes between employees and employers regarding violations of the right to disconnect. According to Sule, this law would help workers lead a better quality of life and reduce the mental strain caused by the demands of today’s digital workplace.

Chances of passing and related bills in Parliament

It is important to note that the Right to Disconnect Bill is a private member’s bill. This means it was introduced by a member of Parliament who is not part of the government. Historically, private member’s bills in India rarely become law. Most are either debated briefly and withdrawn or do not move forward after the government responds. Despite this, introducing such a bill is significant as it brings attention to critical issues like workplace stress and employee welfare.

Along with the Right to Disconnect Bill, Supriya Sule also introduced two other private member’s bills. The first is the Paternity and Paternal Benefits Bill, 2025, which proposes paid paternal leave for fathers to support early childcare. The second is the Code on Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to recognize gig workers as a separate category, ensuring minimum wages, regulated working hours, social security, and fair contracts for them.

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A day before Sule introduced her bills, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor introduced a different private member’s bill focused on employee welfare. His proposal aims to amend the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, to legally limit working hours and secure the right to disconnect. Tharoor shared worrying statistics, stating that 51% of India’s workforce works more than 49 hours a week, while 78% report feeling burnout. He also referred to the tragic death of a young professional, Anna Sebastian Perayil, to highlight the consequences of overwork.

Tharoor emphasized that his bill seeks to establish strong grievance mechanisms and mental health support systems in addition to limiting working hours. These proposals aim to ensure that employees have the right to disconnect without fear of losing their job or facing penalties. The broader discussion in Parliament has sparked awareness about the negative impact of overwork and continuous connectivity, urging both government and private organizations to consider employee welfare more seriously.

Although the Right to Disconnect Bill’s passage into law remains uncertain, its introduction has brought attention to the importance of work-life balance and mental health in Indian workplaces. By highlighting the pressures of constant connectivity and long working hours, Parliament is now discussing ways to make work safer, healthier, and more humane for millions of employees across the country.