ARTICLE · 19 APRIL 2024

What is the new right to disconnect?

Stacks Law Firm

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Employees may refuse to respond to employers or to work-related contact out of hours, unless this is unreasonable.

AustraliaEmployment and HR

Christopher Morris

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It's nine o'clock at night and you are relaxing at home watching a movie before heading to bed. Suddenly the phone rings. It's the boss calling to discuss a meeting to be held tomorrow at work. You sigh – wishing you could disconnect from your work at this late hour – but you take the call because you have concerns about your job if don't.

Workers will have the right to disconnect out of hours

But change is imminent. Federal parliament has passed the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Act No. 2 (refer to part 8 for right to disconnect), which will come into operation on 26 August 2024. For small businesses it starts 12 months later to allow more time to make arrangements that suit the workplace.

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