The labour government have noted many pledges in their ‘Make Work Pay’ paper – one of them being the right to switch off/the right to disconnect. But what does this really mean?
Whilst there are no firm guidelines as yet, the proposal is to consider a ‘code of practice’ to give employees the right to switch off or disconnect outside of their working hours and to formalise boundaries between work and personal life.
From an employment law and HR perspective this would mean drawing up new policies ensuring they reflect the different circumstances of employees and the business.
From a legal perspective its likely that if the code (when created) is not followed it wouldn’t necessarily provide the right to bring a claim in a tribunal for that alone, but it could be considered when deciding the level of compensation awarded in other tribunal claims.
Whether this becomes law or not it’s always good to respect boundaries to prioritise the wellbeing of employees.
Don’t be caught out by this or any other update to employment law legislation. Contact Peach Law for advice, help and support through these changes.
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