Australia has introduced new legislation that grants millions of workers the legal right to “disconnect” from their employers after work hours. The law, which came into effect on Monday for medium-sized and large companies, aims to protect workers from unreasonable out-of-hours contact and allows them to ignore, refuse to monitor, or respond to work communications outside of their designated work hours, unless such refusal is deemed “unreasonable.”
The legislation, similar to regulations in some European and Latin American countries, has been celebrated by unions as a significant step towards improving work-life balance. Michele O’Neil, president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, described the reform as a “historic day for working people,” emphasizing the importance of quality time with family without the stress of constant work-related communications. “Australian unions have reclaimed the right to knock off after work,” O’Neil stated.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who championed the reform through his centre-left Labor government, expressed support for the new law. “We want to make sure that just as people don’t get paid 24 hours a day, they don’t have to work for 24 hours a day,” Albanese told national broadcaster ABC. “It’s a mental health issue, frankly, as well, for people to be able to disconnect from their work and connect with their family and their life.”
Despite the positive reception from unions and workers, the reform has received a mixed response from industry leaders. The Australian Industry Group criticized the law as “rushed, poorly thought out, and deeply confusing,” expressing concerns that it may lead to uncertainty regarding out-of-hours communications and shift arrangements.
The legislation, which was enacted in February, will extend to smaller companies with fewer than 15 employees from August 26, 2025. Under the new law, tribunals will have the authority to determine whether out-of-hours refusals or demands are unreasonable, considering factors such as the nature of the contact, the employee’s role, and compensation for extra hours.
France introduced a similar “right to disconnect” law in 2017 to address the “always on” culture driven by digital devices, highlighting a growing global trend towards protecting personal time in the modern work environment.
