Canada needs a “right to disconnect”, affected by the pandemic, remote work and hyper connectivity

Over a few previous years, we’ve seen debates on the way work leaks into private life coming true, as smartphone technologies make it possible to remain online almost everywhere 24/7.

As a result, workers often feel they have to respond to work messages even after their shift is over. In 2017, France set the “right to disconnect” into law, meaning that workers have the right to disengage from all work-related tasks outside of the official hours.

Today, Canada’s Federal Labour Code doesn’t include such a right for workers in federally-regulated institutions.

The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) has been trying to set this change on a legislative level.

“The right to disconnect means workers can turn off their devices in order not to deal with the working needs of their employers,” – noted CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “It’s the time they can spend how they want, it’s the time they can spend with their families and friends, the time they can spend on resting after a working shift”.

According to Yussuff, working from home during the pandemic has strengthened the feeling many Canadians have – they believe their devices need to be always turned on. He says, employers increase the pressure on them to respond outside of work time.

Many Canadians have been working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they are facing the feeling of being unable to disconnect from work, known as “hyper connectivity”. This only adds to the stress of working remotely. A 2016 World Health Organization report says employees who work outside of work time increase the risk of a stroke and heart disease by almost 30%.

In Yussuff’s opinion, the issue needs to be addressed, particularly in case of women, who spend about 33% more time than men on unpaid labour.

“This affects women far stronger than men because they have the responsibilities of family and children, in addition to the stress they are dealing with,” – he said. “The right to disconnect will definitely help workers know that, at some moment, they can say ‘it’s enough’”.

The Canadian Labour Code says “an employee’s decision to answer to a work-related communication after work is not considered working hours.”

In October, the government set the “Right to Disconnect Advisory Committee” hoping to push a law to address worries expressed by Yussuff and others.

“It’s vital not only for workers but also for their employers, as they will have a legal possibility to ensure the employer will be penalized for doing it,” – Yussuff said.