Infosys has been fined €175,000 (approximately ₹2 crore) by France’s regional labour authority, DRIEETS Île-de-France, over deficiencies in its employee working-hours recording system. The action was taken after the authority found that the company’s time-tracking mechanism did not fully comply with local labour laws.
According to the company’s regulatory filing, the French labour authority concluded that Infosys’ system for recording employees’ working hours did not meet all legal requirements for certain categories of employees. The investigation raised concerns about the system’s reliability, auditability and its ability to accurately monitor employees’ working hours. However, the company did not disclose which category of employees was affected.
Under French labour law, employers are required to maintain accurate records of employees’ working hours and present them to the authorities whenever required. Employees also have the legal right to access records of their own working hours.
In its filing, Infosys said the financial penalty is not expected to have any material impact on the company’s financial position, business operations or overall activities. The company added that it is currently reviewing the communication received from the French authority and is evaluating the next steps. However, it did not specify whether it had been directed to make changes to its existing time-recording system.
The development comes at a time when Infosys has been encouraging employees in India to spend more time working from the office. It has also brought renewed attention to Infosys co-founder N. R. Narayana Murthy’s comments advocating longer working hours.
In 2023, during a podcast interview, Murthy said that if India wants to become globally competitive, young people should be prepared to work 70 hours a week. His remarks triggered widespread debate at the time, with many supporting the idea while others raised concerns about employee well-being and work-life balance.
In contrast, France has a 35-hour legal work week for full-time private-sector employees. Although working hours can be extended in certain situations, overtime is regulated and compensated according to the country’s labour laws.
Following the news of the penalty, several users on X began referring to Murthy’s earlier remarks while sharing their views on long working hours. While some posts sparked serious discussions about workplace culture, others responded with memes and humorous reactions.
At present, the case relates specifically to compliance with French labour laws and does not involve any findings on employee workload itself. However, it has once again fuelled the broader debate around work-life balance, overtime and long working hours. Any further response from Infosys or the French regulator is expected to be closely watched.
