'Murky waters' | 'Right to switch off' plans welcomed but legal risks lie ahead for HR - experts warn

Conversations surrounding plans to give UK employees a ‘right to switch off’ have been reignited this week, following a Government statement saying it will boost the economy.

The new Labour administration has pledged to introduce legal boundaries on when workers can and can’t be contacted outside of set working hours.

Similar legislation is in place in nations like the Republic of Ireland and Belgium, which Downing Street is said to be analysing closely. In these counties, staff have the “right to disconnect" and not be frequently contacted by their employer after clocking off for the day.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the BBC that the UK plans are “about ensuring people have some time to rest” and that “we’re not inadvertently blurring the lines between work and home life".