Portugal passes law to punish companies who contact employees after working hours

Portugal's parliament has introduced a new law which makes it illegal for companies to contact staff outside their working hours. The new measures have been introduced to stop employers and seniors from disturbing the workers after their normal work hours, according to AP. Under the new rules, employers would have to pay a fine if they contact their employees after office hours.

The Portugal Socialist government has informed that the new measures have been introduced as more people are working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As per the new rules, companies need to pay a fine for contacting employees after their working hours.

According to new rules, employers should avoid contacting their workers after normal work hours, except under exceptional circumstances. However, the new rule does not apply to companies that have employees fewer than 10 people, Euro News reported.

Employers will be required to organise face-to-face meetings at least once in every two months to tackle loneliness among their workers. Furthermore, companies have been told to pay household expenses incurred by their employees when working from home, including internet and electricity bills, according to AP.

Lawmakers, however, did not agree to the rule which would allow the workers in Portugal to not have professional communication after their working hours. 

Employees with children have also been given the right to work from home until their child turns eight, as per Euro News. The parents are not required to secure prior approval from management in order to work from home until their child turns eight years old.

The approval of the rule was one of the latest measures taken by the Portugal Parliament before it was dissolved ahead of a snap election in January. As the COVID-19 pandemic started, working from home became the new normal and the new law introduced by Portugal has given the people working from home to not have contact with their employers after their working hours. 

Inputs from AP

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