A new bill to be introduced in New York City is set to make requiring employees to check work email outside of office hours illegal.
The “Right to Disconnect Bill”, a bill to be introduced by New York City Council Member Rafael Espinal, who represents the 37th District in New York City in Brooklyn, will “make it unlawful for private employees in the city of New York to require employee to check and respond to email and other electronic communications during non-work hours.”
Employers will still be able to reach employees outside of business hours but cannot discipline them for not responding. Businesses non-compliant with the law could face a minimum $250 fine for each violation.
“The lines between our work and personal lives have blurred. My bill will simply protect employees from retaliation when they choose to disconnect,” Espinal said in a statement about the bill on Twitter.
The lines between our work and personal lives have blurred. My bill will simply protect employees from retaliation when they choose to disconnect https://t.co/9h58dKjqQr
— Rafael L Espinal Jr. (@RLEspinal) March 23, 2018
