I receive more emails from small business owners before and after regular business hours these days than I do during the standard 9-5 window.
Yet for employees its different. It’s Friday and at 5:01pm, the only KPI that matters is how fast they can switch off. Legally protected now…
Sounds empowering, doesn’t it? Absolutely! Unless you are the poor soul running the business. Then it feels less like “work life balance” and more like managing a bushfire with a garden hose…
Does this apply to your business?
From 26 August 2025, even businesses with fewer than 15 employees fall under this law. Employees can legally ghost your texts, calls or emails after hours. As long as it’s “reasonable.”
The inevitable tension…
While employees might celebrate, small business owners are quietly panicking. Why? Because this isn’t just a wellness win but it’s another compliance headache.
Without HR teams or legal departments, small business operators must now navigate:
- What qualifies as reasonable contact?
- How to define emergencies?
- How to avoid penalties which can reach up to $93,900 for companies.
Imagine if employers did the same…
- “Sorry, employee, I know you want your leave approved today… but I’ve disconnected. Circle back in 48 hours.”
- “Wages? Oh yes, I’ll pay them. Just as soon as I am ready to reconnect.”
- “Customer complaint? Sorry, I don’t take calls outside of 9am to 5pm”
The simple but brutal truth…
Yes, the right to disconnect sounds noble. It protects mental health and it sets boundaries. It ensures people feel like their lives are not consumed by the endless pull of work through their smartphones.
But let’s not kid ourselves… If owners truly took the same “right to