IT giant Infosys allows gig work, NITES condemn rider attached to it

Infosys has inserted a rider, making it mandatory for its employees to take up gig jobs with prior consent of its managers.

Gig work, which is different from moonlighting, is a word for a job that lasts a specified period of time. Moonlighting is having a second job, which is taken up typically secretly or at night, in addition to one's regular employment.

The issue came into the public domain after an internal email sent to Infosys employees was leaked to the media. UNI is in possession of a copy of this email.

"IT employees cannot be treated as bonded labourers. We condemn the statement of Infosys CEO Salil Parekh that to take up any gig work outside the organization, the employees need to take permission from the Infosys management," NITES President Harpreet Singh Saluja said in a statement.

"There is no legal limit on the number of salaried jobs an employee can hold. In India sometimes the company’s directors hold multiple jobs," he said.

These are clear violations of human rights and personal liberty, and the right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Indian Constitution, Saluja said.

The right to privacy is also recognized as a basic human right under Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Act, 1948, which states that no one will be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, he said.

Saluja also demanded a bigger loaf out of the bread by saying that the IT companies should not stop at allowing gig work, but also allow moonlighting, considering the salaries of the entry-level employees that are stagnant for over a decade.

Considering the inflation rate shooting up, employees wanting to support their family financially should be allowed to take up a second job (moonlighting). The second job should not be treated as a criminal act, he said.

"Employees have a contract to work with Infosys for 9 hours only. What the employees do outside working hours is their prerogative," he said.

The email sent to Infosys employees read, "Any employee, who wishes to take up gig work, may do so, with the prior consent of their manager and BP-HR, and in their personal time, for establishments that do not compete with Infosys or Infosys' clients."

Infosys said it counts on its employees to ensure that this does not impact their ability to work with the company effectively. "In addition, as per Infosys employment contract, employees may not work in areas when there is an actual or potential conflict of interest or by accepting dual employment," the email said.

As an organisation, Infosys values the ability to continuously learn new skills and gain experience. Infosys said it is only natural that the company is supportive of employees taking up additional projects as appropriate in their personal time.

However, it said, care needs to be taken to ensure that such projects "comply with the company's policy for gig working, and do not breach client contracts or otherwise impact the employee's ability to be effective in their full-time job with Infosys."

During the Q2 earnings' briefing, Parekh had said the company does not support dual employment.

"We don't support dual employment... if we found... in the past, employees doing blatant work in two specific companies where there is a confidentiality issue, we have let go of them in the last 12 months," Parekh had said.

The issue of moonlighting became a big talking point after Rishad Premji flagged the issue.

 

(With UNI inputs)