Will American workers have the ‘right to disconnect’? Not in 2024

Published 4 Min Read

A white man looks down in frustration at his laptop while sitting on a velvet green couch.
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Most employees know firsthand that work doesn’t typically end right at 5 p.m. With the rise of remote work technologies, workers are often expected to interact with their jobs from anywhere, at any time.

One state unsuccessfully tried to put an end to just that — California proposed a bill that would completely forbid employers from sending work-related communication after established work hours. However, the bill did not make it past the California State Assembly Committee on Appropriations this week and has been shelved for the rest of 2024. The bill had been criticized for being too broad, with employers of all sizes required to comply and both salaried and hourly employees receiving protection. Notably, other countries like France, Australia and Mexico have passed similar bills in an effort to fight burnout and promote work-life balance.

Deanna Cuadra
Senior Reporter

Deanna Cuadra is a senior reporter at Employee Benefit News. Her work covers healthcare, U.S. policy and reform, challenges faced by women and parents in the workplace and innovation in work culture … Read full bio


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