The workday is done. You’ve shut your laptop, poured a cup of something relaxing, maybe even started dinner. And then it happens—a Slack ping, a Teams notification, or an email marked “URGENT.” It’s from your boss or a colleague, and it’s pulling you right back into work mode. The question starts buzzing louder than your phone: Do I really have to respond to this right now?
In an always-connected world, the line between work time and personal time has blurred. Phones, apps, and remote setups make it easy to stay logged in long after the day ends. But just because you can be reached doesn’t always mean you’re legally required to respond.
What the “Right to Disconnect” Means
The “right to disconnect” is a growing global conversation about whether employees can legally ignore work communication outside of contracted hours. It’s about boundaries, mental health, and recognizing that being “off the clock” should actually mean being off the clock.
This right isn’t universal—yet. But in several countries, it’s already making its way into legislation.
France was one of the first to formally adopt a right to disconnect. Since 2017, companies with more than 50 employees have been required to establish policies around after-hours communication. Employees aren’t required to answer emails or calls outside of their work hours, and employers are expected to respect those boundaries.
While the law doesn’t include hard penalties for breaking the rules, it sets a cultural and legal expectation that people deserve their downtime.
Other Countries Following Suit
Italy, Spain, and Belgium have introduced similar protections. Portugal has gone further—making it illegal for bosses to contact employees outside of work hours in most situations, and even requiring employers to help cover expenses for remote work.
In Germany, while there’s no national law yet, some major companies have adopted internal policies that ban after-hours messaging or automatically delay email delivery until the next workday.
These examples are shaping the global conversation, even in places where no laws currently exist.
What About the United States?
In the U.S., there is currently no federal right to disconnect law. Most employees are classified as either exempt or non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and that determines how after-hours work is treated.
- Non-exempt employees (typically hourly workers) must be paid for any time they’re working—including reading or responding to emails after hours. That time counts as compensable work.
- Exempt employees (often salaried professionals) aren’t entitled to overtime pay, so responding to a late-night message might not violate any wage laws—but it can stretch the boundaries of work-life balance.
Some states have started exploring their own versions of right-to-disconnect protections, but so far, no sweeping regulations exist.
That said, company policies can play a big role. Some progressive employers voluntarily set rules or expectations that protect after-hours time. If your workplace has a policy around after-hours communication, it might be enforceable depending on how it’s written.
Remote Work and the 24/7 Problem
Remote work has made it easier than ever to stay connected—and harder than ever to disconnect. Without the clear boundary of leaving an office, work hours can bleed into personal time. Some companies expect availability across time zones. Others celebrate “flexibility,” which often just means working all the time.