Millions of Australian employees now have the right to disconnect from work outside their scheduled hours, thanks to new legislation. Under these laws, employees can refuse to answer calls or emails after their shifts unless such a refusal is deemed unreasonable.
For many workers like Lachy, a shift worker at Melbourne Airport, this change is a welcome relief. “It’ll be a weight off my shoulders, for sure,” he said, expressing his eagerness to enjoy his time off without the anxiety of unexpected work calls. “It’ll give me some of my life back.”
The new laws aim to combat the common expectation in Australia that employees remain available beyond paid or rostered hours, a practice that has blurred the lines between work and personal life. “This isn’t a prohibition on an employer contacting or attempting to contact an employee,” explained Brent Ferguson, a workplace relations expert. “It’s a new right for an employee to refuse that contact outside their working hours.”
While the right to disconnect doesn’t entirely prevent employers from reaching out after hours, it does provide employees with more control over their work-life balance. Sally McManus, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, emphasized the importance of this new right: “What that basically means is your employer can’t harass you after work… you’ve got a right not to respond.”
The legislation applies immediately to businesses with more than 15 employees, while smaller businesses will follow suit in August 2025. As the Fair Work Commission works out the specifics, many see this as a step towards healthier boundaries in the workplace.
“Hopefully, this will give people an opportunity to take some of their private life back,” said academic Gabrielle Golding, noting that the pandemic had exacerbated the expectation of constant availability.