The Right to Disconnect - A Blueprint for HR Practitioners

Introduction

COVID-19 has resulted in a significant number of employees to work partly, or totally, from home.

This has accentuated the trend for employees to access email and other forms of electronic communication from home. A problem occurs when the line between home and work gets blurred, and employees are constantly feeling the pressure to look at the latest email or communication.

Trade unions in the UK are increasingly pressing the UK government to introduce the ‘right to disconnect’, something which is already addressed in law in countries such as France and Italy.

This is the right to disconnect from work communications outside of work hours, without the fear of any negative repercussions. Although this is not law in the UK, this webinar will explore some of the HR and legal issues that are raised by this issue.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• The Right to Disconnect
• What it means
• How this has been addressed in some European countries
• Working Time Regulations 1998
• Restrictions on the working week
• Rest breaks
• Annual leave
• Duty of Care
• Duty to provide a safe place of work (psychologically)
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Stress
• Duties to employees relating to stress
• Personal injury
• Constructive dismissal
• Policies and Procedures
• What to include

This webinar was recorded on 9th August 2021