As more people are working remotely and participating in the gig economy, the boundaries between work and personal time are becoming less clear. This has led to a constant feeling of being "on the clock" for some.
This situation often results in work-related messages and emails arriving outside the traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. work hours, which can be stressful for those seeking a healthier work-life balance.
To address this issue, a new law, known as Assembly Bill 2751, has been proposed in California. Introduced by Assemblyman Matt Haney of San Francisco in February, the bill aims to mandate employers to establish a policy that allows employees to disconnect from work communications during non-working hours.
The proposed law requires employers and employees to agree on designated "non-working" hours during which employees have the right to ignore work messages. If an employer fails to comply, they could face a fine of $100.
Assemblyman Haney emphasized that the bill is designed to be flexible and applicable to all types of businesses and employment in California, including sectors that require on-call work or extended hours.=
He believes that this law will make California businesses more competitive in attracting much-needed workers.
If passed, California would be the first U.S. state to implement such a law, joining 13 other countries, including France, Italy, Mexico, and Spain, that have already enacted similar "right to disconnect" laws.
The proposed law would apply to both public and private companies.
The introduction of this bill comes at a time when many Americans are finding it difficult to disconnect from work. A 2023 study by ELVTR found that one in five Americans has been asked to log on or complete a work task while on vacation or PTO.
The study, which surveyed 2,300 workers, found that 28% were disturbed by work emails during their vacations, and 25% were interrupted by work-related text messages.
The voting date for AB 2751 has not yet been set.