The U.K. is considering joining a host of other European countries in making it more costly for restless employers to contact their employees after the working day ends.
The country’s fresh-faced Labour government is drafting legislation that would outlaw late-night WhatsApps, emails, and Slacks and potentially fine dissenting bosses heftily.
While commonplace across Europe, legislation giving workers a “right to disconnect” has lagged behind in the U.K., but now might become more European if reported changes to work culture are implemented.
I’ve no doubt a previous employer of mine would get us to sign a bit of paper saying we’re happy to be contacted outside of our working hours, and being told it’s mandatory to sign it.
Nice of them to document it!
For real an email saying “we plan on committing a crime” is bold
IMO it is perfectly fine to sign that right away, but that is then called on-call duty and requires extra compensation. And THAT is what most employers try to avoid.
If I could get back all the years of my life spent walking boomers through tech problems for free…
Hey, I got thanked and told I was worth a million bucks to the boss one time though. If I had a tail I might have wagged it. :/
In Europe and the UK as well I think a signed document doesn’t nullify the law. So you can just sign that and the employer would still be at fault.
In a lot of places that would let you claim overtime pay for all that time.