Australia’s legislation gives employees the right to ignore unreasonable calls and messages from their bosses outside of working hours with impunity. Employers who violate this rule may be fined. This was reported by Reuters.
Similar laws that give the right to turn off your devices are already in place in France, Spain, and other EU countries.
The “right to disconnect” is part of numerous changes to labor laws proposed by the federal government under a parliamentary bill that aims to protect workers’ rights and help restore work-life balance.
The draft law prohibits employees from working overtime without pay, giving them the right to refuse unreasonable contacts outside of working hours.
“We are simply saying that someone who is not paid 24 hours a day should not be penalized if they are not online and available 24 hours a day,” commented Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albenizi.
Some politicians, employer groups, and corporate leaders have warned that the right to disconnect is excessive and will undermine the movement toward flexible working and affect competitiveness.
Proponents of the legislation argue that Australians work an average of six weeks each year without overtime pay. This corresponds to more than $60.13 billion in unpaid wages across the economy.
The draft law also includes other provisions, such as a clearer path from temporary to permanent employment and minimum standards for temporary workers and truck drivers.
It is expected that by the end of this week the Senate will approve the amendments to the labor legislation.
