Employees Will Have Right to Ignore Their Bosses Outside Working Hours in This Country

Sydney: While employees in many places dream of finding balance between their personal and professional lives, employees in Australia will have the legal right to ignore their bosses outside working hours from Monday onwards.

The "Right to Disconnect" law, introduced in February, allows employees to refuse to monitor, read, or respond to contact from their employers during non-working hours.

The rule was passed to ensure employees enjoy their personal lives and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Apart from Australia, Germany, France, and several other countries in the European Union allow employees to switch off their mobile phones and not be bothered by their bosses outside of their scheduled working hours.

Criticism of the ‘Right to Disconnect’

As the law made its way through Parliament earlier this year, it faced backlash from several employer groups, who labeled it as rushed and flawed. They worry that it could lead to confusion or challenges in certain industries where out-of-hours communication might be necessary.

The law allows certain exceptions where an employee's right to refuse contact might be considered unreasonable. It could depend on their role, the reason for the contact, and how it is made, among other factors.

These exceptions aim to protect the needs of both employees and employers, ensuring that essential communications are not hindered.