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Australia to allow workers to ignore after-hours calls from bosses: ‘that time is yours’
- The new laws will give workers the right to ignore calls and messages from their bosses outside work hours without penalty, with potential fines for employers
- Similar laws giving employees a right to switch off their devices are already in place in France, Spain and other countries in the European Union
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Australia will introduce laws giving workers the right to ignore unreasonable calls and messages from their bosses outside work hours without penalty, with potential fines for employers that breach the rule.
The “right to disconnect” is part of a raft of changes to industrial relations laws proposed by the federal government under a parliamentary bill, which it says would protect workers’ rights and help restore work-life balance.
Similar laws giving employees a right to switch off their devices are already in place in France, Spain and other countries in the European Union.
What we are simply saying is that someone who isn’t being paid 24 hours a day shouldn’t be penalised if they’re not online and available 24 hours a day
A majority of senators have now declared support for the legislation, Employment Minister Tony Burke from the ruling centre-left Labor party said in a statement on Wednesday.
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The provision stops employees from working unpaid overtime through a right to disconnect from unreasonable contact out of hours, Burke said.
“What we are simply saying is that someone who isn’t being paid 24 hours a day shouldn’t be penalised if they’re not online and available 24 hours a day,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters earlier on Wednesday.
The bill is expected to be introduced in parliament later this week.
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