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ARTICLE · 07 APRIL 2021

The Right To Disconnect: Ireland Publishes A New Code Of Practice

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The Irish government has published its promised Code of Practice on the right to disconnect from work outside normal working hours.

IrelandEmployment and HR
Siobhra Rush (Lewis Silkin Ireland )
Siobhra Rush (Lewis Silkin Ireland )

The Irish government has published its promised Code of Practice on the right to disconnect from work outside normal working hours. This article explains what is in the new Code and what it means for employers in Ireland.

As part of the Strategy for Remote Work, the Irish Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment committed to introduce a new Code of Practice on the right to disconnect in the first quarter of 2021. The new Code of Practice was signed at the very last minute of that quarter, on 31 March. The Code follows a public consultation and several months of public debate (see here for some of our recent contributions to the debate).

The Code is all about employers creating a culture of good work/life balance and breaking bad habits whereby people feel obliged to respond to messages out of hours. Crucially, the Code refers to a 'right to maintain clear boundaries between work and leisure time'.

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