A young woman works at the table in the garden.
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Australia has become the latest country to allow employees the “right to leave work”, a measure that has so far been mainly implemented in European countries.
under new legislationThe rule, which takes effect on Monday, prohibits organizations from punishing employees for not answering phone calls or responding to emails outside of working hours.
This means that while employers and third-party clients can still contact employees outside of paid working hours, employees now have the legal right to refuse to respond – unless doing so is “unreasonable”.
Conduct deemed to be unreasonable will be assessed by Fair Work Australia, which will consider factors such as the nature of the employee’s role and level of responsibility, contact information and the level of disruption caused to the employee.
“The new laws will provide greater protection for workers around workplace conditions, job security and the ability to balance work and life, and stop underpayment and undermining the wages and conditions of Australian workers.” Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt explain.
Here are some other countries that have introduced the right to interrupt work.
France
2017, France implements “right to disconnect” Work emails from after hours. Companies with 50 or more employees need to consult with employee representatives to determine when employees can be contacted via electronic communications. Failure to comply will result in fines of up to 1% of a worker’s total remuneration.
France is known for having one of the most highly regulated labor markets in the developed world, largely due to its legal 35-hour work week.
Belgium
Portugal
In Portugal, Employers are prohibited from contacting employees after hours, which the law calls the “right to rest.”
Employees are also entitled to a “night’s rest” of at least 11 consecutive hours, during which they should not be disturbed except in the event of an emergency.
Spain
Employees at Spain has the right to disconnect work-related digital communications Outside of scheduled working hours to promote a good work-life balance.
A national campaign launched by the country’s National Institute for Safety and Health at Work is raising awareness of the initiative and highlighting employers’ obligations to promote healthier digital workplaces.
Ireland
Ireland has Adopted code of conduct on the right to disconnect from the office outside working hours. The Code gives workers the right not to conduct work matters outside normal working hours and imposes a duty on employers to respect the rights of employees not to contact them outside working hours.
The guidelines apply to all modes of employment, from remote working to fixed locations.
Italy
For Italy, legislation More specifically for remote working. It states that every teleworking agreement should provide for designated break times and outline the steps required for employees to fully disconnect from work-related devices.
Is the UK next?
The UK appears to be taking similar measures. Professionals union Prospect found that nearly 60% of workers supported the right to disconnect, according to a campaign held last September.
Although the UK currently has no formal power to cancel jobs, Limit working hours to no more than 48 hours per week On average, within 17 weeks.