LEGAL IMPLICATIONS ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN INDIAN LABOUR LAW

AUTHOR – PRABU. P*, JYOTHI LAKSHMI P** & KALAIARASAN. P***

* GUEST LECTURER, GOVERNMENT LAW COLLEGE VILLUPURAM

** 3rd YEAR LL.B. GOVERNMENT LAW COLLEGE VILLUPURAM

*** 3YEAR B.A.LL.B. GOVERNMENT LAW COLLEGE VILLUPURAM

BEST CITATION – PRABU. P, JYOTHI LAKSHMI P & KALAIARASAN. P, LEGAL IMPLICATIONS ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN INDIAN LABOUR LAW, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (12) OF 2025, PG. 1064-1070, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344

Abstract

The delicate balance between work and personal obligations is known as work-life balance (WLB), and it includes both vocational duties and leisure activities, family obligations, and mental and physical health. WLB has become a crucial issue impacting workers’ productivity and quality of life in the context of India’s quickly changing economy, which is characterized by the growth of the IT sector, gig economy, and remote employment. The legal environment around work-life balance (WLB) in India is examined in this article, with particular attention paid to how labor laws, court rulings, and policy initiatives attempt to handle statutory leaves, flexible work schedules, working hours, and mental health protections. The lack of a formal “right to disconnect,” which makes it harder to distinguish between work and personal life, and the new difficulties presented by digital workplaces are also examined in the study. Through the examination of seminal rulings, legislative changes like the 2020 Labour Codes, and socio-legal studies, this study draws attention to gender inequalities, ongoing enforcement gaps, and the exclusion of gig and irregular workers from official WLB safeguards. In order to develop sustainable work environments that preserve employee dignity, health, and social fairness in India’s changing labor market, the paper calls for extensive legislation reforms, such as the legalization of flexible work, rights regarding digital disconnects, and improved enforcement mechanisms.

KEYWORDS: Work-Life Balance, Indian Labour Law, Flexible Working Arrangements, Occupational Health and Safety, Right to Disconnect