Consultation begins on ‘right to disconnect’ from after-hours work

The Labor Relations Commission (WRC) will conduct a PUBLIC CONSULTATION on how to give employees the right to disconnect from work.

Earlier this year, the Tánaiste asked the commission to design the new code of practice, which once approved by the minister, would be admissible as evidence in court proceedings.

“We want remote work to become a more important part of life after Covid. If done right, the benefits will be huge. However, it is vitally important that existing rights and the rights enjoyed by employees are maintained and that a proper work-life balance is achieved, ”said Varadkar.

He said the code, or guide, would ensure that both employees and employers are aware of their requirements and rights, and how the right to disconnect will apply, especially in a remote work setting.

“It’s really important that we get it right so that employees can properly disconnect from work,” Varadkar said.

A review of the law to give workers the right to disconnect, which gives workers the legal ability to avoid work emails after hours, began under former Business Minister, now Social Protection Heather Humphreys.

The initiative was introduced in France in 2017, forcing companies with more than 50 employees to develop a charter that defines the right of employees to disconnect and establishes the hours when staff are not supposed to send or respond to emails. .

Italy, Spain and Belgium have also implemented such legislation.

In addition to providing practical guidance, the code is expected to have considerable standing in the context of the resolution or investigation of the CMR and other bodies in labor relations or labor rights disputes.

“Working from home has become the norm for many in the past year, and while technology has meant that we have been able to stay connected in a way that wasn’t possible years ago, it also has its downsides. This new code will help all workers to achieve a better balance between home and work life, ”said Varadkar.

The problem has also been highlighted by the opposition in recent weeks, with Labor’s Brendan Howlin stating that while we always believed that technology would come to free workers, the opposite is true.

“A new tyranny is often imposed by the ability to constantly contact employees and the expectation of bosses that one will respond at any moment. That cannot be allowed to continue, ”he told the Dail last month.

In addition to measures to make it easier for people to leave work, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has said the government must be more ambitious in its goals for remote work in the future.