Employment lawyer on disconnecting from the office and employee rights

Interview Summary

Ontario has recently passed the Working for Workers Act which includes a right to disconnect law. Employees who work in a business with more than 25 workers are permitted to disconnect from the workplace outside of work hours and employers must ensure there is a disconnect policy in place. What will this mean for employee rights? Can disconnecting from the workplace still lead to consequences for employees?

Mackenzie Irwin, a Toronto employment lawyer and Associate at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP joins Yonah Budd on Global News Radio 640 Toronto to discuss this new legislation.

Interview Notes

• Can employees who refuse to respond to their employers outside of work hours lose their jobs?
• Will employees actually be able to lean on disconnect laws to enforce their rights?
• Do employers have a responsibility to provide a work-life balance for employees?
• Should employees be looking for the right to disconnect terminology in their contracts?