Do you have the right to disconnect from work?
Hitting 'decline' on an incoming call from an overbearing boss after work is a guilty pleasure for many Australians - but should it also be an enshrined right?
These are the questions being asked in Parliament this week, politicians debating whether new laws should be enacted to give Aussies more separation between their work and home life. The Federal Government is pushing for industrial relations reforms to the Fair Work Act to be legislated, being dubbed 'the right to disconnect from work'.
The legislation is aimed at closing loopholes used by employers to undermine pay and working conditions, with employees having the right not to be contacted outside of office hours or set shift hours.
Watch: the star signs when there's a problem at work. Post continues below.
"What we're simply saying is someone who's not being paid 24 hours a day shouldn't be penalised if they're not online and available 24 hours a day," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters this week.
The response from workers overall? Unsurprisingly positive, Aussie employees hoping these laws can create some stronger boundaries for better work-life balance.
As for the response from business owners, bosses and employers? Well... they're not as happy, and fair enough.
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