In Australia, “out of office” may soon take on a whole new level of importance.
The Senate there passed a bill on Thursday that gives workers the right to ignore calls and messages outside of working hours without fear of repercussion. Australia follows in the footsteps of France, which in 2017 introduced the right of workers to disconnect from employers while off duty, a move later emulated by Germany, Italy and Belgium.
Under the bill in Australia, companies could face fines for penalizing employees who fail to respond. It is expected to win final approval in the House of Representatives.
Unions and others have long argued for the right to disconnect, an idea that grew more popular during the coronavirus pandemic. However, some critics call it a government overreach that could hurt businesses.
We’d like to know what you think. We’re asking readers: How would “right to disconnect” laws affect you? What would be the positives or negatives?
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