Australian workers have the right to 'disconnect' from their bosses after work hours

Australia, August 26: The new regulation, which comes into effect for medium and large companies from August 26, allows employees to ignore unreasonable contacts from employers outside of working hours.
Millions of workers in Australia from today, August 26, will have the right to " disconnect ", allowing them to ignore unreasonable contacts from their employers outside of working hours, AFP reported.
People can now "opt out" of their employer's attempts to contact them outside of working hours, unless the refusal is deemed "unreasonable."
Labor unions welcomed the new rules, saying they would help workers regain their work - life balance . "Today is a historic day for workers," said Michele O'Neil, president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions .
"The union movement has won the legal right for Australians to spend quality time with their loved ones without the stress of constantly answering unreasonable work calls and emails. Australian unions have won back the right to rest after work," she said.
However, the reform has not been greeted with such enthusiasm by Australian industry.
"The right to disconnect legislation was rushed, ill-considered and deeply confusing. At the very least, employers and workers will now be uncertain whether they can pick up or call out of hours to provide extra shifts," the Australian Industry Group said.
The law, enacted in February, will come into effect for medium and large companies from August 26. Companies with fewer than 15 employees will be subject to it from August 26, 2025.
The regulation is similar to several European and Latin American countries. France introduced the right to disconnect in 2017, hoping to address the "always-on" nature of smartphones and other digital devices.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper