March 28, 2024
Coming to a Town Near You? Right to Disconnect Legislation
California Assemblymember Matt Haney has proposed legislation (copy unavailable as of this writing) that would generally give employees the right to ignore messages (calls, emails, texts) from their employer during the employee’s non-work time and shield the employee from any adverse employment action.
California is not the first U.S. locale to propose this. New York City did so in 2018. That bill would have covered private sector employers with ten or more employees. It also would have required employers to give employees written notice of this right and have a corresponding, written policy.
France, Australia, and a number of other countries have already enacted similar legislation. Watch this trend, your state and local legislatures. Consider if and how such legislation might impact your business operations.
