Lewis Jackson wrote that Australian employees can now ignore work emails and calls outside of work hours. A new law called the “right to disconnect” was created to stop work from creeping into personal life. This law, which started on Monday, protects employees from being punished for not reading or responding to their employers after work hours. This decision gives workers the courage to push back against work emails, texts, and calls invading their personal time, a problem that grew during the pandemic. John Hopkins, an associate professor, said people didn’t have this problem before digital technology. Now, it’s normal worldwide to receive messages outside of work hours. Australia joined around 24 countries with similar laws, with France leading in 2017. The law still allows for emergencies and jobs with irregular hours, but workers can refuse if it’s reasonable. However, determining what’s reasonable will be decided by the Fair Work Commission. This law won’t interfere with legitimate requests but will prevent workers from suffering due to poor management planning. The goal is for employers to think twice before contacting their employees after hours.
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