Australian workers have the "Right to Disconnect" outside usual hours

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Australian employees already have rights when it comes to choosing whether they will work additional hours beyond their working day. Until recently, what was missing was guidance about what happens with contact and enquiries that might not amount to work, even though they intrude on your personal time.

Laws giving employees the right to refuse employer (or third-party) contact outside working hours came into effect from 26 August 2024 for employees of non-small businesses (15 or more employees). The right to disconnect will become available for small business employees from 26 August 2025.

The increased availability of new technologies – smartphones in particular – has brought with it an increasing sense of connectedness, but in some cases, that has also meant an increased sense of being tethered to your work, no matter what time of day. The same technologies that enable flexibility and working from home also mean that work is always at your