Australian employees now have the legal right to ignore work emails and calls outside of their work hours, thanks to a new “right to disconnect” law.
Effective Monday, this rule prevents most employers from punishing workers who don’t respond after hours.
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Supporters argue that the law empowers employees to push back against the encroachment of work into their personal lives, a problem that has worsened since the Covid-19 pandemic blurred the lines between home and work.
In 2023, Australians worked an average of 281 hours of unpaid overtime, highlighting the need for such protections.