On the heels of their $20 minimum wage for restaurants law, which is seeing businesses raise prices, cut employees, and even close, the People’s Republik Of California is going to try something else to mess with the economy
California could become first state to give workers a ‘right to disconnect’
California could become the first state in the country to give workers a “right to disconnect” under a new bill.
Assembly Bill 2751, introduced by Asm. Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) on Monday, would guarantee workers in the Golden State the ability to have uninterrupted personal and family time by giving them the ability to disengage from emails, texts and calls during non-work hours.
“Work has changed drastically compared to what it was just 10 years ago. Smartphones have blurred the boundaries between work and home life,” Haney said in a statement. “Workers shouldn’t be punished for not being available 24/7 if they’re not being paid for 24 hours of work.”
With the proposed changes, both public and private employers would be required to establish a right-to-disconnect policy for their workplace, permitting them to ignore communications when they are off the clock.
What’s that saying, “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions”? Any non-exempt employees, those who typically get paid hourly, are required to be paid under the Fair Labor Standards Act if they are contacted when they are off the clock. If this happens, what could happen? Perhaps some are converted to salaried, making them exempt. Perhaps companies look for workers who are interested in extra work. The law would allow employees to be contacted for emergencies and scheduling, which are the primary reasons employees are contacted when not at work.
This type of law seems like a good intention, but, it can cause unnecessary confusion, and could drive more businesses out of California. They are overly broad, and do not allow for employee choice. And it’s just the heavy hand of government controlling even more of the economy.
Read: PRC Looks To Pass “Right To Disconnect” Law For Workers »
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