How Should We Handle a Full-Time Employee's Transition to Part-Time After Maternity Leave?

Hello Seniors, I work for a software company based in Noida as Manager HR. I have a few queries, please share your viewpoint on the same:

Case 1: Employee Transition from Full-Time to Part-Time

We have one full-time employee, a senior technical resource with 7 years of work experience. Her designation is Lead - Design Engineer. She has worked with us for 5 years (July 2007 to July 2012). Then, she took maternity leave of 3 months from August 2012 to November 2012, including a one-month extension. She has not rejoined after the completion of her maternity leave. Now, she has shown interest in joining us as a part-time employee from May 2013 onwards. Management is considering her request, and the plan is to give her a project-based job with the flexibility of working either from the office or home. We would like to hire her services for 25% of the time in a month. After some months (maybe after 4-5 months), she will again be a full-time employee.

Q1: Issuing a Separate Letter for Part-Time Employment

Do we need to issue her a separate letter for part-time employment? If yes, what should be the terms and conditions of the same?

Q2: Transitioning to a Consultant Role

Shall we close the earlier appointment as full-time and hire her as a consultant on a part-time basis? When she is ready to join us full-time, should we then issue a new appointment letter?

Senior employees, who are not classified as workmen, are appointed based on an understanding with the management and an employment agreement in the form of a "letter of appointment."

If this employee of yours has shown interest in working part-time, she needs to submit an application addressed to the Director or HR Head, requesting approval for part-time employment from a specified date. Based on her application, you may either issue a consent letter approving her application, detailing the terms and conditions, revised CTC, work nature (from home or office), and the period of part-time employment, such as six months, or issue another appointment letter (the choice is yours). After another six months, if she wishes to continue working part-time, you may extend her part-time employment.

The idea is to document all understandings between the employee and employer to avoid any disputes or misunderstandings in the future. Such written documents provide more clarity to both the employer and the employee.

Regards,
Umesh Chaudhary
[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

The option-2 mentioned by you would be the safer bet—both for the employee and the company. Given that the employee has worked for 5 years, she would fall into the gratuity-eligible category. So, the simpler and clearer the relationship is, the better.

Regards,
TS

She has already worked for 7 years, and her service is good and required for the company. The company will benefit if such people continue as they have a good knowledge of managing the work. If she is not taken on a regular basis, she should be given benefits to encourage her to contribute more to the company.

[Login to view]