In Australia, employees will be allowed to ignore calls from their bosses after hours after the end of the working day.
This is reported by the BBC.
The law does not prohibit employers from communicating with employees after hours. Instead, it gives employees the right not to respond unless their refusal is deemed unreasonable.
Employers and employees should try to resolve disputes between them. If this fails, the Australian Fair Work Commission (FWC) can intervene and force the employer to stop texting outside of working hours (or order the employee to respond).
Failure to comply with the rules can result in a $12,800 fine for the employee or nearly $64,000 for companies.
Organizations representing employees welcomed the move. The law will ensure work-life balance. The new rules may also help employers, as satisfied and rested employees are less likely to quit.
Similar laws are already in place in more than 20 countries, mostly in Europe and Latin America.
