– Lawmaker wants to pass bill allowing employees to ignore after-hours calls from their boss
– California bill aims to address work policies muddled post-pandemic
– Assembly Bill 2751 allows exceptions for emergencies or scheduling changes
A California lawmaker has introduced Assembly Bill 2751, aimed at allowing employees to ignore after-hours calls from their boss. This bill seeks to address the blurred lines of work policies that have emerged since the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed legislation would grant workers the right to disconnect from communications with their employer during off hours, with exceptions for emergencies or scheduling changes.
Remote and hybrid work schedules have made it increasingly challenging for employees to establish clear boundaries between work and personal time. Assemblymember Matt Haney, who introduced the bill, believes that employees are often expected to be constantly available, even when technically working a 9-to-5 job. The legislation would apply to both public and private employers, ensuring that workers have the autonomy to ignore communications outside of their designated work hours.
Assembly Bill 2751 is currently under review in the Assembly’s Committee on Labor and Employment. It has been read twice, amended, and may need to pass through a fiscal committee before advancing to the State Assembly floor for a final vote. If approved by a majority vote in the Assembly, the bill will then proceed to the State Senate for further consideration. The aim of the bill is to clarify expectations around after-hours work communications and ensure that employees have the right to disconnect when they are off the clock.