Right to Disconnect Bill introduced in Lok Sabha – a ‘burnout’ cure? Here's all you need to know

A private member's bill, called the “Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025” was introduced by NCP MP Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha on Friday. The bill seeks to allow employees not to entertain work-related calls and emails outside work hours.

The Bill also proposes a penalty equal to rate of 1% of the total remuneration of its employees on entities (companies or societies) for any violations of its provisions.

Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members are allowed to introduce bills to highlight issues they believe require legislation. However, barring a few cases, such bills are usually withdrawn after the government responds to the proposal.

Counselling, digital detox centres - Key points to know about Right to Disconnect Bill

– The Bill argued that there is a need to respect the personal space of the employees by recognising their right to disconnect and not respond to their employer's calls, emails etc., during out-of-work hours.

– Supriya Sule argued that digital transformation has directly affected core terms of employment, including work hours and workplace boundarie Hence if an employee agrees to works during out-of-work hours, overtime pay at the same rate as his wage rate is also necessary to check the surge in unpaid overtime work, brought about by digital transformation.

– The Bill also provides for counselling services to increase awareness among employees and citizens, on reasonable use of digital and communication tools, for professional and personal use.

— To help employees break free from digital distractions and reconnect with those around them, the Bill includes a provision for establishing digital detox centres.

Why the Bill?

In a social media post on X, Supriya Sule said the Right to disconnect bill "aims to foster a better quality of life and a healthier work-life balance by reducing the “burnout caused by today's digital culture.”

In the Bill, the NCP MP said that studies have found that if an employee is expected to be available round the clock, they tend to exhibit risks of over-work like sleep deprivation, developing stress and being emotionally exhausted. "This persistent urge to respond to calls and emails (termed as 'telepressure'), constant checking of emails throughout the day, and even on weekends and holidays, is reported to have destroyed the work-life balance of employees," the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill read, reported ANI.