We’ve all been there: after a long, hard day of work, we’re settling into a quiet, calm evening of Netflix and chill (or some similarly hedonistic pleasure) when our phone lights up with so-called urgent emails from the boss. Suddenly, your off-hours evaporate and you’re back on the clock until the crack of dawn, catering to your superior’s every whim and alleged crisis.
One country is fighting back against this kind of professional abuse. A new law in Portugal states that employers cannot contact workers outside of regular business hours by phone, message or email.
“The employer must respect the privacy of the worker,” the law states. If a higher-up infringes on an employee’s rest or family time, it’s considered a “serious” offense and might mean the jefe incurs a fine.
Portugal wasn’t the first country to get on board with protecting people’s private lives, however; France enacted a similar measure in 2017 that gave workers the right to ignore professional emails when they were off the clock.
The new policy doesn’t stop with inappropriately-timed communication, either – it allows workers to request to work from home if that arrangement is compatible with their position. It also demands that employers step up and reimburse remote workers for expenses like increased electricity and gas bills.
How long until the U.S. gets the memo that employees deserve better working conditions like these? We’re not sure we can wait. A transcontinental move just might be in our futures…
Cover Photo: filadendron (Getty Images)
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