In Australia, it is now legal to refuse to answer employers' calls after work hours!

Starting Monday, Australian employees will gain a new legal right to disconnect from work outside of their official hours, thanks to a recently enacted law. This new regulation, which passed in February, guarantees that employees can refuse to monitor, read, or respond to communications from their employers outside of working hours without facing repercussions.

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The "right to disconnect" law aims to safeguard employees' personal time and mental health by setting clear boundaries between work and personal life. This legislation aligns Australia with several European countries, including France and Germany, where similar laws are already in place.

During the legislative process, the law faced criticism from employer groups who argued that the legislation was rushed and inadequately considered the practicalities of modern work environments. Despite these concerns, the law has been enacted with specific provisions allowing exceptions. For instance, the right to disconnect may be deemed unreasonable in certain circumstances, such as in roles where immediate availability is essential or where the contact is deemed critical and justified.

The introduction of this law reflects a growing global trend toward balancing work and personal life, aiming to reduce employee burnout and enhance overall well-being by clearly delineating work and leisure time.