By HR Brew Staff
less than 3 min read
Definition:
The right to disconnect is the principle that employees should be able to ignore work-related communications outside of their contracted working hours without fear of retaliation from their employers.
Where do employees have the right to disconnect?
More than a dozen countries have passed right-to-disconnect legislation, starting with France in 2017. (The US is, perhaps unsurprisingly, not among the countries where such legislation exists. Legislators in New York City introduced a right-to-disconnect bill in 2018, and those in California, and New Jersey followed suit in 2024; none advanced.) While the laws’ enforcement, frameworks, and provisions vary from country to country, most establish employees’ legal right to refuse to engage with or be engaged by their employer outside of their contracted working hours. Even in jurisdictions where employees do not have the right to disconnect, there may be legislation in place to discourage always-on work culture, such as wage and hour, disability, and leave laws.
What are the benefits of the right to disconnect?
Employers that establish with employees clear expectations around communication, and create the conditions for them to set boundaries between their professional and personal lives, may find that they are able to help reduce their risk of burnout and improve their mental and physical health. These benefits for employees translate into benefits for employers, as employees who prioritize their well-being are more likely to be engaged and productive, and less likely to turnover.
What are the challenges associated with the right to disconnect?
Challenges may arise for employers with employees in different time zones or with different cultural expectations around when work gets done. Some employers may also encounter difficulties depending on the communication standards in their industries and expectations among their clients.
Can you put right to disconnect into context?
“The bill mandates that all employers in California “create and publish company-wide action plans” to protect the new right to disconnect and outline what working and non-working hours are for employees,” HR Brew reported in April 2024.
