Allowing of authorized employees of IT/ITeS units in SEZ to Work from Home or place outside the SEZ unit - SEZ - Instruction No. 85

Instruction No. 85 File No. D. 12/21/2010-SEZ (Pt) Government of India/ Bharat Sarkar Ministry of Commerce and Industry/ Vanijya Aur Udyog Mantralaya Department of Commerce/ Vanijya Vibhag SEZ Division Dated 2nd August, 2016 To All Development Commissioners, Special Economic Zones. Subject: Allowing of authorized employees of IT/ITeS units in SEZ to Work from Home or place outside the SEZ unit Sir/ Madam, I am directed to say that references have been received from various stakeholders seeking clarification whether employees of IT/ITeS Units or those of IT/ITeS units registered as Other Service Providers (OSPs) with Department of Telecommunications (DOT) can work from home or from a place outside the SEZ as well as for SEZ units registered as Other Service Providers (OSPs) with Department of Telecommunications (DOT). 2. The matter has been examined and keeping in the view the requirements of the aforesaid units, the following has been decided: 1. General Conditions for Work from Home by employees of SEZ units a) The Person should be a regular employee of the SEZ unit and should be authorized by the SEZ unit {issued Identity cards as per Rule 70(2) of SEZ Rules, 2006 } to undertake the work pertaining to that unit. b) The work to be performed by the employee permitted to work from home should be as per the services approved for the SEZ unit, and the work is related to a project of the SEZ unit. c) For the purpose of work from home, SEZ unit should provide laptop/desktop and secured connectivity (for e.g VPN, VDI etc) to establish a connection between the employee and work related to the project of the SEZ unit. d) Ensure export revenue of the resultant products/services should be accounted for by the SEZ unit to which the employee is tagged and at no given point should work from home involve the export of services from outside the SEZ unit. e) Once the employee ceases to be part of the project of SEZ unit, the employee shall be untagged from the respective SEZ unit and the unit shall surrender the I-Card (form-K) to Specified Officer as per rule 70 (2) of SEZ Rules 2006 . 2. Additional Conditions applicable to SEZ unit registered as Other Service Providers (OSPs) with Department of Telecommunications DoT For SEZ units registered as OSPs with DOT and availing the benefit of Work from Home, the prescribed OSP Guidelines issued by Department of Telecommunications and amended from time to time, will be strictly followed by SEZ units. Yours faithfully, (T.V. Ravi) Director