Work From Home Policy Format
A work from home (WFH) policy is a formal HR document that sets out the terms under which employees may work remotely, including eligibility, expected working hours, equipment and reimbursement arrangements, data security obligations, and performance expectations while working outside the office.
In India, WFH policies became especially important post-2020, and while there is no single dedicated central statute governing remote work for most private-sector employees, companies draft these policies to manage productivity, data security, and applicable labour law obligations (such as working hours) consistently for a distributed workforce.
Work From Home Policy — sample format
Copy the template below and replace the [bracketed] fields.
1. Purpose and Scope
This policy applies to all employees of [Company Name] who are approved to work from home, either on a permanent, hybrid, or occasional basis, as determined by role requirements and manager approval.
2. Eligibility
Work from home is available to employees whose role can be performed remotely without impacting business operations, subject to manager and HR approval. Roles requiring physical presence (e.g. front-desk, on-site technical support) may not be eligible.
3. Working Hours and Availability
Employees working from home are expected to be available during standard working hours ([Start Time] to [End Time]) or as agreed with their reporting manager, and to remain reachable via [company communication tools] during this period.
4. Equipment and Reimbursement
[Company Name] will [provide/reimburse, as applicable] necessary equipment such as a laptop, and [may/will not] reimburse internet or electricity costs, as per the applicable reimbursement policy. Employees are responsible for maintaining a safe and functional workspace at home.
5. Data Security and Confidentiality
Employees must ensure that company data and systems accessed remotely are secured — including using company-approved VPN/software, not sharing devices with unauthorised persons, and reporting any security incident immediately to IT. All confidentiality obligations under the employee's appointment letter and any NDA continue to apply while working from home.
6. Performance and Communication
Employees working from home are expected to meet the same performance standards, deadlines, and communication responsiveness as if working from office. Regular check-ins with managers may be scheduled to ensure alignment.
7. Attendance and Leave
Standard attendance and leave policies continue to apply while working from home; employees must mark attendance through [HR system/portal] as per company process.
8. Review and Withdrawal
[Company Name] reserves the right to review, modify, or withdraw work-from-home privileges for any employee or role based on business needs or performance concerns, with reasonable notice where practicable.
What to include
- ✓ Eligibility clause — clarifies which roles qualify for WFH and that approval is discretionary, not an automatic entitlement
- ✓ Working hours and availability clause — sets clear expectations to avoid ambiguity around remote responsiveness
- ✓ Equipment and reimbursement clause — defines what the company provides versus what the employee bears
- ✓ Data security clause — extends confidentiality and IT security obligations explicitly to the remote work context
- ✓ Withdrawal clause — reserves the employer's right to revoke WFH arrangements, preventing it from becoming an implied permanent right
Legal notes (India)
- § There is no single dedicated central Indian statute exclusively governing private-sector work-from-home arrangements; applicable obligations instead flow from general labour law (working hours under the relevant state Shops and Establishments Act), the Information Technology Act, 2000 (for data security), and the employee's existing contract/NDA.
- § Confidentiality and data protection obligations under the employee's NDA and company IT policies continue to apply during remote work, and any personal data handled remotely should be managed consistent with applicable data protection requirements under Indian law.
- § A work-from-home arrangement, especially if long-standing, should be clearly framed as a discretionary privilege revocable by the company (as in the Review and Withdrawal clause) to avoid it being argued as an implied contractual term that cannot be withdrawn.
Frequently asked questions
Is work from home a legal right for employees in India?
Who bears the cost of internet and equipment for remote work?
Can a company withdraw work-from-home privileges at any time?
Explore the platform
Payroll & compliance, on autopilot.
Free for unlimited employees — PF, ESI, PT & TDS handled every cycle.