The Right to Disconnect After Work
Key Vocabulary
| Word / Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| work message | a message about a person's job | I received a work message after dinner. |
| right to disconnect | a worker's right to stop dealing with work messages outside work time | Some countries have a right to disconnect. |
| working hours | the time when a person is expected to work | She answers calls during her working hours. |
| refuse | to say that you will not do something | A worker may refuse some contact after work. |
| work-life balance | having enough time and energy for both work and personal life | Shorter evening calls can improve work-life balance. |
Article
A phone makes work easy to carry anywhere. But it can bring a work message to dinner, the couch or bed. Some places have rules called the right to disconnect.
This rule lets staff stop checking work email, calls and texts after work. The real rule changes by nation. In 2025, 13 European Union countries had rules for this right. Some rules help all staff. Other rules only help home workers.
Australia has a right to disconnect, too. Workers can refuse calls outside their working hours. But in some jobs, they must still reply. The reason for the call and the job type matter.
Why make these rules? European studies show that late work texts cause stress and harm work-life balance. Good balance means time for both work and personal life.
The rule does not ban all late calls. Jobs have different needs. The goal is simple: a phone should not make every hour a work hour.
Discussion Questions
- When do you think it is okay to send a work message after normal hours?
- What would a good right to disconnect rule look like in your job?
- Why might some workers find it difficult to refuse a manager's call?
- What helps you protect your work-life balance?
- Which jobs may need different rules about working hours?
References
- Eurofound, "The never-ending workday in flexible-working Europe."
- Eurofound, "Working anytime, anywhere: The quality of working time in the EU."
- International Labour Organization, "Right to disconnect."
- Fair Work Ombudsman, "Right to disconnect."