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In January 2017, a new law went on the effect that allows French workers to disconnect after working hours. This year, March 2018, the New York City introduced a law that gives workers the right to ignore work-related texts and emails. Like the French law, NYC bill will wouldn't legalize employers to text and email workers on weekends and night hours, but it will be illegal for the same employers to terminate employee's contracts if they fail to return text and email after working hours.
Councilman Rafael Espinal, who is the sponsor of the bill says, "So many of us are glued to our smartphones and our computers, it's important to understand that we don't have to feel as if our work has to spill into our personal lives." Then he adds "It says that you, as an employee, should have the right to not answer that call or that email, without fear of retaliation." So what does this mean if you are a student in New York City and planning to enter the employment industry?
If you are planning to enter the employment industry, you might be asking yourself whether overworked, stressed-out or under-rested works in New York need a law that protects them. If so, would the law work and it is intended? The answers seem to be maybe, and it depends because there are professionals for whom this law would not work and for others it will.
In professions such as paramedics and doctors, it will not work. Also, jobs like where you are compensated for being on call, the bill might not work. People like average workers who need to work for 80- hours or more a week and their jobs involve replying to call, text and email any time of the day and night, this includes even weekends and holidays.
But, there are professionals that this bill works perfectly. There are employers who take advantage of their workers. They make them work overtime and others are not upfront with the position they want their employees to take after working hours. In this case, the law will apply. It will prevent employers from underpaying employees and overworking them.
With that said, the unit is still hard to envision a law that gives the worker the right to disconnect after working hours. What will happen after and who will take responsibilities. Nevertheless, the Espinal's bill will raise the importance of disconnecting and ways it will improve personal lives and productivity.