IT workers' body asks HCL to rethink on linking leaves with office attendance

New Delhi: IT workers' union NITES has criticised a recent move by HCL Technologies to link employee leaves with office attendance, terming in "unfair", and has asked the tech company to reconsider the policy.

HCLTech declined to comment on the matter.

Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) said the policy, which purportedly mandates that employees must work from the office at least three days a week and at least 12 days a month to be eligible for leaves, is "unfair".

"Such a policy is not only unfair but also goes against the principles of a healthy work-life balance," NITES President Harpreet Singh Saluja said in a statement.

According to the NITES statement, under the Indian labour laws, particularly the Shops and Establishments Act, any modification in leave policy should be made in consultation with the employees.

"In the post-pandemic era, flexible working arrangements have become the norm, and imposing such rigid requirements is a step backward," NITES said, asking HCL Technologies to reconsider the policy and ensure that employee welfare is prioritised.