On 26 August 2024, the new workplace ‘Right to Disconnect’ rules came into effect.
These new rules were introduced as part of the second wave of sweeping ‘Closing Loopholes’ reforms to the Fair Work Act 2009 passed by the Federal Parliament in February 2024.
Also included in this second wave of reforms were:
- new casual employee rights (including a new ‘employee choice’ casual conversion pathway);
- a new definition of ‘employee’; and
- new unfair contract rights for independent contractors.
Despite the fact that the Right to Disconnect rules were passed by the Parliament over 6 months ago in February 2024, the weeks leading up to the commencement of the rules saw a flurry of media reporting about the potential serious impact these rules were likely to have on employers and businesses. [...]
