A proposed bill in NYC aims to prohibit employers from requiring employees to do work after-hours

(This post originally appeared on The Washington Post)

For many of us, the work day doesn’t end when we go home. But one New York City councilman wants to ensure that it does — at least for employees.

Brooklyn Councilman Rafael Espinal Jr. is proposing a bill, called the “Right to Disconnect” legislation, that would prohibit employers from retaliating against their employees for not doing work after the business day ends. The idea is not new. Countries like France, Germany, Italy and the Philippines have already passed similar laws.

“After leaving the office, many of us are glued to our phones or refreshing our Instagram feeds, but often times we are also keeping up with our work and bosses,” Espinal said in this New York Post report. Espinal is trying to end the pressures of the 24/7 work day caused by technology and to require employers to “establish clear boundaries for employees so they can maintain a healthy work-life balance and live without fear of retaliation for not answering work communications after work hours.”

The proposed bill, which currently has no co-sponsors, would apply to companies in the city’s five boroughs that employ more than 10 people. Those companies would be required to create a policy documenting expectations around communications outside of the office. It would also aim to protect the rights of employees who refrain from responding to electronic communications like emails and texts after they leave work for the day. Employers would still be able to contact their workers after hours but they would not be allowed to fire or discipline them if no response was received. There would be exceptions for emergencies.

Although other countries mentioned above have comparable laws, New York’s City Council has not been so far pre-disposed to the idea. A similar bill proposed last year that would only apply to city workers never made it out of committee.