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Australians get permitted to avoid bosses’ phone calls
(MENAFN) A new law in Australia grants workers a legal "right to disconnect" from work-related communications outside of their official working hours, a significant step toward improving work-life balance. Effective from Monday, the legislation applies to employees at businesses with more than 15 workers, allowing them to ignore calls, emails, and messages from bosses, colleagues, and customers once their workday is over. Small businesses have been given a one-year grace period before they must comply, with the law fully extending to them by August 2025.
While the law does not outright prohibit employers from reaching out to employees after hours, it establishes an enforceable right for workers to disregard such communications unless their refusal is deemed unreasonable. In cases of dispute, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) will mediate between employers and employees to determine if the contact was justified. Factors considered include the reason for the communication, the nature of the employee's role, and any compensation offered for out-of-hours work. The FWC has the authority to either prohibit the employer from contacting the employee during their personal time or mandate that the employee respond, with both parties potentially facing fines for non-compliance.
This legislation is part of broader reforms to Australia's Fair Work Act aimed at redefining work-life boundaries and promoting a healthier balance. A survey by the Center for Future Work revealed that the average Australian worker previously engaged in approximately 5.4 hours of unpaid overtime per week, totaling around 230 hours annually. This unpaid labor amounted to a loss of roughly AUUSD131 billion (United States USD88 billion) in income each year for the Australian workforce.
By introducing this new right, the Australian government seeks to address the growing concern over excessive work hours and the impact on employees' well-being, striving to foster a more balanced and equitable work environment.
While the law does not outright prohibit employers from reaching out to employees after hours, it establishes an enforceable right for workers to disregard such communications unless their refusal is deemed unreasonable. In cases of dispute, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) will mediate between employers and employees to determine if the contact was justified. Factors considered include the reason for the communication, the nature of the employee's role, and any compensation offered for out-of-hours work. The FWC has the authority to either prohibit the employer from contacting the employee during their personal time or mandate that the employee respond, with both parties potentially facing fines for non-compliance.
This legislation is part of broader reforms to Australia's Fair Work Act aimed at redefining work-life boundaries and promoting a healthier balance. A survey by the Center for Future Work revealed that the average Australian worker previously engaged in approximately 5.4 hours of unpaid overtime per week, totaling around 230 hours annually. This unpaid labor amounted to a loss of roughly AUUSD131 billion (United States USD88 billion) in income each year for the Australian workforce.
By introducing this new right, the Australian government seeks to address the growing concern over excessive work hours and the impact on employees' well-being, striving to foster a more balanced and equitable work environment.
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