In an unprecedented move to separate work from personal life, a California lawmaker has introduced a bill seeking to outlaw after-hours communications, excluding emergencies and work schedule discussions.
The legislation, if enacted, would entitle workers to legally disconnect from job-related electronic communication in post-work hours. Noncompliance could result in a fine of $100 for each infraction by employers.
“The villain here, if there had to be one, is not the bosses, but really the technology,” said Matt Haney, a Democratic State Assembly member representing San Francisco who introduced the bill this week. “Everybody has a smartphone, so they’re available 24/7, and that has led a lot of people to feel they can never turn off. Our laws are not updated to reflect that reality.”
The inception of the bill corresponds with the shifting dynamics of workplace norms influenced by COVID-19’s impact, which forced rapid technology adoption to facilitate remote working. Despite locations now merging office and home spaces, the technological frameworks persist, leading to employees being reachable around the clock.
This has increased the expectation to be always on, escalating the pressure on people to answer work-related communiques beyond standard working hours.
A Pew Research Center survey in 2023 found that more than 50% of the workforce engaged with work messages outside regular working hours. To combat burnout and augment productivity, worker advocates and legislators are contemplating approaches like the adoption of a four-day workweek.
The disconnect proposal must traverse legislative hurdles before it reaches the governor’s desk for signing, potentially by September. There is resistance, particularly from employer groups and the California Chamber of Commerce. Detractors argue that such sweeping legislation might hinder flexibility in the workplace.
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