French employees win right to not check emails out of hours

Workers in France now have the legal right to not check work emails outside their working hours, under changes to employment law in the country.

Under the new law, which came into force at the start of this month and is informally known as the ‘right to disconnect’, companies with more than 50 workers are required to draw up a charter of good conduct, setting out the hours when staff are not supposed to send or answer emails.

The move to end the ‘always on’ culture, introduced by France Labour minister Myriam El Khomri, is designed to give workers a better work-life balance, reduce the risk of stress and burnout and stop unpaid overtime.

"There's a real expectation that companies will seize on the 'right to disconnect' as a protective measure," Xavier Zunigo, a French workplace expert, told the Telegraph.

"At the same time, workers don't want to lose the autonomy and flexibility that digital devices give them.”

France is well-known for its strong labour laws, including its short working week of 35 hours.

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