A note
Right to disconnect
The right to disconnect is simple in principle: employees can refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact outside their working hours, unless that refusal is unreasonable. It sits in the Fair Work Act and has been rolling out across workplaces that weren’t already covered by other rules.
I don’t treat it as a reason to stop all after-hours messages. I treat it as a reason to stop pretending every ping is urgent.
What to decide as an employer
- What “working hours” means for each role — especially casuals, part-timers and people on flexible arrangements.
- When contact is reasonable — genuine emergencies, safety incidents, and roles that are paid to be on call are different from “quick question” emails at 9pm.
- How managers escalate when something really can’t wait — who to call, and what counts as can’t wait.
- How you say it to staff so people aren’t guessing whether they will be judged for not replying.
Write the rule once
Policy 32 in the Workplace Policy Pack covers the right to disconnect, next to hours, rostering and overtime. Pair it with acceptable use of technology and social media so “contact” isn’t only email. Templates are not legal advice; check the current Fair Work guidance for your award and size of business.
Related reading: which policies a small business needs and psychosocial hazards. Questions through the contact form.
All notes · Related: Workplace Policy Pack · Contact