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Will 2026 finally be the year employees get the right to disconnect?
Much has been made of a Right to Disconnect bill introduced in the Indian Parliament. The bill, by Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, created much buzz on social media. However, the private Member’s Bill realistically does not have much of a chance of being taken up by the government. Sule was trying to shine a spotlight on the issue amid the ongoing debate among employees on stress and burnout.
Meanwhile, CEOs have been exhorting employees to put in longer and longer hours, even as wages have largely remained stagnant, and many are finding it harder and harder to land new jobs. Today, more and more people are interested in maintaining a healthy work–life balance than trying incessantly to climb the corporate ladder.
So, will more and more countries pass such laws in 2026?
Let’s take a closer look.
Be it literacy, healthcare or women’s rights, Kerala has been at the forefront of many of the advances in India. Little surprise then that Kerala earlier this year introduced its own Right to Disconnect bill in the state legislature.
The Right to Disconnect Bill 2025 (Bill) was introduced by Dr N Jayaraj, Kerala Congress (M) MLA and Chief Whip in the state Assembly. It aims to grant protections to private sector employees from dealing with communication from employers after working hours. This includes via phone, e-mail, SMS, video conference and any other such similar systems. Employees are allowed to exercise this right against their employer or their designated personnel.
It protects employees from punishment such as demotion, firing, reduced benefits, or lost opportunities for exercising this right. It also calls on the Kerala government to set up a committee to address the grievances of private sector workers across every district of the state.
It draws inspiration from Article 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.”
It also draws on Article 21 – Right to Life and Dignity – which courts have upheld, as well as instructs the state to maintain its responsibility to ensure humane working conditions and employee welfare.
Jayaraj told the Indian Express that he came up with the bill looking at the plight of Indian employees. “It is, in a way, a reinvention of the old feudal system. There was no fixed working time for labourers. Then, worldwide, people fought for labour rights and brought about order. The digital revolution has now brought back that feudal era, without us even realising.”
It will be far from shocking if Kerala becomes the first state within the Union of India to pass such a law in 2026.
The Philippines’ Department of Labour and Employment (Dole) in 2017 already laid out some protection for its workers. Dole has already stated that employees fundamentally have the right to disconnect from work after hours.
Dole has said employees can simply refuse to respond to work communications after hours without facing any backlash. However, this was the department analysing labour policy and not a law.
There are now reports that in December 2025, a new Right to Disconnect Bill has been introduced in the Philippine Congress. The filed House Bill No. 9735 was introduced by Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez. It remains at the House committee level.
According to reports, the bill, which covers both permanent and contract workers, ensures that employees can exercise the right to disconnect without fearing any consequences.
Some have praised the bill.
“Like in France, Spain, Italy, and Australia, adopting a law on a right to disconnect would help protect workers’ mental health, promote their well-being, and reinforce the distinction between work and personal life, which is essential for overall productivity and job satisfaction,” Jose “Sonny” G. Matula, President at the Federation of Free Workers, told
BusinessWorld earlier this year.
But others have criticised it. Employers Confederation of the Philippines President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr claimed it could hurt productivity and damage relations.
“Investors would rather go to Indonesia [or] to Thailand instead. They stay away from countries that have this kind of rule. It will add to the many problems in the Philippines for investors,” he added.
While Ireland has no Right to Disconnect law, it has instituted what it calls the “formal Code of Practice”.
This code outlines three basic rights for employees:
This code encourages employers and employees to work together and serves as a guide to best achieve work–life balance. There are now reports that Ireland is looking to further strengthen these protections by bringing in a right to disconnect law.
The United Kingdom, meanwhile, under the new Labour government, has said it is considering bringing in such laws as part of a wider reform of labour laws. The UK has said such laws will likely be based on those already introduced in Ireland and France.
One can only hope that governments the world over pass such Right to Disconnect laws to ensure the health and mental well-being of employees.
But some are urging caution. Dr Pavitra Shankar, Associate Consultant, Psychiatry, Aakash Healthcare, told Moneycontrol while such bills being passed will help employees, it cannot guarantee work-life balance.
"I don't think so per so. Real work-life balance requires the right workplace culture, attitude of managers, and employees' ability to set boundaries without feeling guilty. Legal rights can reduce the pressure on employees for being available after working hours, but organisations too need to do their bit by having structural policies in place and having supportive leadership. If the intention is missing at the end of organisations, the well-being of employees can still suffer," Dr Shankar said.
With inputs from agencies
Much has been made of a Right to Disconnect bill introduced in the Indian Parliament. The bill, by Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, created much buzz on social media. However, the private Member’s Bill realistically does not have much of a chance of being taken up by the government. Sule was trying to shine a spotlight on the issue amid the ongoing debate among employees on stress and burnout.
Meanwhile, CEOs have been exhorting employees to put in longer and longer hours, even as wages have largely remained stagnant, and many are finding it harder and harder to land new jobs. Today, more and more people are interested in maintaining a healthy work–life balance than trying incessantly to climb the corporate ladder.
So, will more and more countries pass such laws in 2026?
Let’s take a closer look.
Kerala
Be it literacy, healthcare or women’s rights, Kerala has been at the forefront of many of the advances in India. Little surprise then that Kerala earlier this year introduced its own Right to Disconnect bill in the state legislature.
The Right to Disconnect Bill 2025 (Bill) was introduced by Dr N Jayaraj, Kerala Congress (M) MLA and Chief Whip in the state Assembly. It aims to grant protections to private sector employees from dealing with communication from employers after working hours. This includes via phone, e-mail, SMS, video conference and any other such similar systems. Employees are allowed to exercise this right against their employer or their designated personnel.
It protects employees from punishment such as demotion, firing, reduced benefits, or lost opportunities for exercising this right. It also calls on the Kerala government to set up a committee to address the grievances of private sector workers across every district of the state.
CEOs have been exhorting employees to put in longer and longer hours. Representational Image/Reuters
It draws inspiration from Article 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.”
It also draws on Article 21 – Right to Life and Dignity – which courts have upheld, as well as instructs the state to maintain its responsibility to ensure humane working conditions and employee welfare.
Jayaraj told the Indian Express that he came up with the bill looking at the plight of Indian employees. “It is, in a way, a reinvention of the old feudal system. There was no fixed working time for labourers. Then, worldwide, people fought for labour rights and brought about order. The digital revolution has now brought back that feudal era, without us even realising.”
It will be far from shocking if Kerala becomes the first state within the Union of India to pass such a law in 2026.
Philippines
The Philippines’ Department of Labour and Employment (Dole) in 2017 already laid out some protection for its workers. Dole has already stated that employees fundamentally have the right to disconnect from work after hours.
Dole has said employees can simply refuse to respond to work communications after hours without facing any backlash. However, this was the department analysing labour policy and not a law.
There are now reports that in December 2025, a new Right to Disconnect Bill has been introduced in the Philippine Congress. The filed House Bill No. 9735 was introduced by Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez. It remains at the House committee level.
According to reports, the bill, which covers both permanent and contract workers, ensures that employees can exercise the right to disconnect without fearing any consequences.
Some have praised the bill.
Philippines’ Department of Labour and Employment (Dole) in 2017 already laid out some protection for its workers. Dole has already stated that employees fundamentally have the right to disconnect from work after hours. Representational Image/Pixabay
“Like in France, Spain, Italy, and Australia, adopting a law on a right to disconnect would help protect workers’ mental health, promote their well-being, and reinforce the distinction between work and personal life, which is essential for overall productivity and job satisfaction,” Jose “Sonny” G. Matula, President at the Federation of Free Workers, told
But others have criticised it. Employers Confederation of the Philippines President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr claimed it could hurt productivity and damage relations.
“Investors would rather go to Indonesia [or] to Thailand instead. They stay away from countries that have this kind of rule. It will add to the many problems in the Philippines for investors,” he added.
Ireland
While Ireland has no Right to Disconnect law, it has instituted what it calls the “formal Code of Practice”.
This code outlines three basic rights for employees:
- • Not to work outside normal hours
- • Not to face penalties for refusing to engage in work outside those hours
- • Mutual respect between employers and employees regarding after-hours communication
This code encourages employers and employees to work together and serves as a guide to best achieve work–life balance. There are now reports that Ireland is looking to further strengthen these protections by bringing in a right to disconnect law.
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom, meanwhile, under the new Labour government, has said it is considering bringing in such laws as part of a wider reform of labour laws. The UK has said such laws will likely be based on those already introduced in Ireland and France.
One can only hope that governments the world over pass such Right to Disconnect laws to ensure the health and mental well-being of employees.
But some are urging caution. Dr Pavitra Shankar, Associate Consultant, Psychiatry, Aakash Healthcare, told Moneycontrol while such bills being passed will help employees, it cannot guarantee work-life balance.
"I don't think so per so. Real work-life balance requires the right workplace culture, attitude of managers, and employees' ability to set boundaries without feeling guilty. Legal rights can reduce the pressure on employees for being available after working hours, but organisations too need to do their bit by having structural policies in place and having supportive leadership. If the intention is missing at the end of organisations, the well-being of employees can still suffer," Dr Shankar said.
With inputs from agencies
