MP Suggests ‘Right To Disconnect’ Law On Attending To Work Messages & Emails After Office Hours

Imagine this: It’s 8pm at night and just as you’re about to switch off your laptop for the day, an IM popped in from your boss, telling you to get some sort of report to him.

If you had been working at the office, you could say you’ve left and can only do it tomorrow.

But if you’re working from home? Chances are, most would probably just do it.

Apparently, Member of Parliament Melvin Yong is also concerned about people’s work-life balance after the predominant shift towards working from home (WFH).

In his speech in Parliament on Monday, 31 Aug, he brought up the possibility of having ‘Right To Disconnect’ legislation on work emails and calls after hours, according to Mothership.sg.

The “Right To Disconnect”

According to UNI Global Union, the “Right To Disconnect” basically gives employees the right to not attend to work emails, messages or calls after working hours.

While technology has helped greatly with the carrying out of work in a flexible manner, it could also pressure employees into working late into the night because they feel they have to.

In a perfect world, this means that an employee will not suffer consequences for not staying connected. On the other hand, it also means an employee who stays connected all the time will not be rewarded as well.

Several countries have already adopted this legislation, including France back in 2016 and Spain and Italy, shortly after.

People More Stressed Out At Home

MP Melvin Yong pointed out to recent surveys which showed that people who are working from home face more stress.

“Having a dedicated break will help to reduce employee fatigue and burnout,” he said.

He emphasised that both the physical and mental well-being of workers in Singapore must be taken care of and hopes more support will be given by the government.

This includes adding work stress to the Workplace Injury Compensation Act and implementing technology to prevent worksite accidents.

More Protection For Freelancers

One particularly vulnerable group in the employment world are the freelancers, MP Melvin Yong pointed out, with employers likely to see them as a ‘cheaper’ form of employment.

This is due to the fact that they do not have Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) protection when it comes to employment benefits.

He said that this particular group of workers would benefit the most from more protection.

While these are notable suggestions, one does have to wonder how well they will work, given that the work culture in Singapore is competitive and fast-paced.

If you’re a freelancer, you might want to check out what rights you actually have as a freelancer in this dog-eat-dog world: