The line between ‘work’ and ‘home’ has historically been clear for most employees – separated by a distinct office building, worksite, or retail space. Technology has blurred this line in the past few decades and, for some...more
Real World Impact: U.S. employers should be aware of the global trend of “right to disconnect” laws and should review their policies on after-hours communications to stay ahead of social and legal changes....more
Taking a page from countries across the Atlantic, the California legislature is considering a bill that would give employees the “right to disconnect.” ...more
California once again is at the forefront of the expansion of workplace rights with a first-of-its-kind proposed legislation in the United States that would provide workers with the freedom and the right to disconnect from...more
California is considering broad legislation that would grant nearly all employees the right to disconnect from their employers during nonworking hours. If passed, the bill would be the first of its kind in the United States –...more
California Assembly member Matt Haney has introduced the first “right to disconnect” law in the United States, Assembly Bill 2751 (A.B. 2751). Under the proposed legislation, employers would be required to define employees'...more
Australia’s Senate on Thursday, February 8, 2024, passed a bill that would prevent an employer from contacting employees outside of work hours. The bill gives the employee the right to refuse to monitor, read or respond to...more
Since 1 April 2023, Belgian employers in the private sector with 20 employees or more must include the right to disconnect in collective bargaining agreements or work rules. The right to disconnect applies to all categories...more
Employers in Luxembourg must now consult with their employees and trade unions to set up systems to protect employees’ rights to disconnect. A new law has been passed in Luxembourg, which requires employers to put...more
The pandemic has changed the landscape of an employee’s work life in its entirety. Employees were uprooted from their normal routines and required to work from their homes. The result? Growing concerns regarding burnout and a...more
The "right to disconnect" refers to an employee's ability to not engage in work-related communications (emails, texts, telephone calls, video calls, etc.) while off duty....more
In today’s business climate, work always seems to be on the mind. But should it be? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the productivity of the average American worker has skyrocketed by an astounding 400% since...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: “Thank you for your email, I will be out of the office from….” New York City employers might soon be seeing a lot more of these “out-of-office” emails from their employees if a recently proposed “Right to...more
Given the ever-increasing reliance on digital technology, employees are more and more tethered to their smartphones – checking email during their commute, at the dinner table, and even from their beds – essentially creating a...more
One of the aspects of digitalization is that it blurs the lines between personal and professional lives of employees. Such acknowledgement is reflected in EU and French laws, notably with regard to teleworking and the right...more
A few months ago, we reminded our readers about the need to maintain accurate time records for non-exempt employees.This consideration is especially important for those employers who are subject to the Fair Labor Standards...more
Could a “right to disconnect” become law in the U.S.? France is trying it. Effective January 1, a new French law went into effect giving workers a “right to disconnect” when not at work. French employers with 50 or more...more
Employers who maintain lawful policies prohibiting employees from accessing the employer’s facilities when they are off-duty must still be careful to avoid a charge of discriminatory application of those policies -- and they...more