Back in late 2024, the Labour Party published a manifesto of the changes it would make to the workplace if it got into power. Its “Plan to Make Work Pay – Delivering A New Deal for Working People” included a proposal for a new “Right to Switch Off” which would prevent employees from being contacted outside of working hours. Following its election, the new labour government took forward many of its manifesto promises through the introduction of the Employment Rights Bill, however the Right to Switch Off was not included in the Bill, with Ministers proposing to introduce it through separate legislation at a later date.
However, the Sunday Times has now reported that the government is planning to scrap the Right to Switch Off policy, although this change has yet to be officially confirmed by the UK government.
What is the Right to Switch Off?
A Right to Switch Off has been introduced in many other countries across the world and usually operates so that workers have a right to not have to respond to emails and calls relating to their employment outside of work hours, save for in limited circumstances.
The prospect of this being introduced in the UK caused concern for business owners, particularly those who work across multiple timezones or those who have to routinely contact staff out-of-hours to deal with urgent situations.
Reports now suggest that Ministers are taking a U-turn on this policy and will announce that the Right to Switch Off will be axed shortly. We expect to hear more on this over the next couple of weeks.
Why is it being scrapped?
The change in policy is apparently, in an effort to boost business confidence, after the recent budget placed extra costs on employers in the form of increased National Insurance Contributions (NICs).
The government source told the Sunday Times, “The right to switch off is dead… We have to lower business compliance costs as much as possible. Growth that puts money in people’s pockets is this government’s top priority. That means making Britain the best place to do business, and a key part of that is removing unnecessary barriers.”
Compliance, sorted with Employment Hero
Compliance making you sweat? Fear not, Employment Hero’s compliance experts are here to support you. We’ll be keeping our eye out for government announcements on exactly what else is changing in the Employment Rights Bill, ensuring you stay in the loop and your business compliant.
For more advice around HR compliance and Employment Law changes, get in touch with our HR Advisory team today.
