Australian employees can enjoy a better work-life balance with a new "right to disconnect" law, effective Monday.
This legislation empowers workers to ignore work-related emails, texts, and calls outside official hours without fear of retaliation. It addresses the increasing intrusion of work into personal lives, an issue that has grown more prominent since the COVID-19 pandemic blurred the lines between work and home life.
John Hopkins, an associate professor at Swinburne University of Technology, noted that employees were rarely contacted after hours before digital technology. However, in today's world, it's common for work-related communications to extend beyond traditional work hours, even during vacations.
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A 2023 survey by the Australia Institute revealed that Australians worked an average of 281 hours of unpaid overtime, amounting to an estimated A$130 billion ($88 billion) in lost labor value. The new law aims to curb this trend by giving employees the legal right to disconnect from work outside their designated hours.
Australia joins a growing list of countries, including France, that are implementing similar laws. In 2017, France introduced its right-to-disconnect rules, later fining a company for requiring an employee to be constantly available by phone.
While the law allows for exceptions in emergencies or jobs with irregular hours, employees can only refuse to respond to after-hours contact when deemed reasonable. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) will determine what constitutes a reasonable refusal and can issue fines for non-compliance.
Despite concerns from employer groups about potential confusion and reduced job flexibility, the Australian Council of Trade Unions supports the law, arguing it will encourage better planning and prevent unnecessary disruptions to workers' personal lives.
