Greens strike deal with Labor to legislate a ‘right to disconnect’ from employers

The Greens have struck a deal with Labor to legislate a right for workers to ignore “unreasonable” contact from their bosses after hours, guaranteeing its support for the Government’s sweeping industrial relations Bill.

Labor now just needs to secure the backing of two Senate crossbenchers to pass its controversial Closing Loopholes Bill after agreeing to the Greens’ proposal for a “right to disconnect”.

The Greens’ model would not ban bosses from calling or sending emails to staff after hours — as employers groups had initially feared — but rather allow workers to ignore “unreasonable” contact.

Greens senator Barbara Pocock used the example of a nurse who had been contacted seven times on a Sunday.

If the Fair Work Commission rules the bosses’ contact has been out of line, it could issue a “stop order” to prevent the practice.

“It (the amendment) means that you have the right to refuse to be contacted, where it is unreasonable in relation to your work outside your working time,” Senator Pocock said.

“It won’t disturb all kinds of changes, where people are paid to be on call or where their job description requires it — or where there is an emergency.

“It’s the persistent and steady intrusion of jobs into workers working time that this amendment will fix.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese endorsed the “right to disconnect”.

“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,” he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.

“Indeed, many companies and businesses have exactly these systems in place now.”