Motion: The Right To Switch Off

This Council notes that interruptions to non-working time and the extension of working hours can increase the risk of unremunerated overtime, can have a negative impact on health, work-life balance and rest from work.

This Council therefore calls on the Minister of the Department for Economy to introduce a code of practice that contains the following three main elements;

1. The right of an employee to not routinely perform work outside normal working hours.
2. The right to not be penalised for refusing to attend to work matters outside of normal working hours.

3. The duty to respect another person’s right to switch off (e.g., by not routinely emailing or calling outside normal working hours).