A group of Dutch politicians wants to establish a legal “right to disconnect” that would protect workers from being contacted by their employers outside working hours.
A bill put before the House of Representatives on Thursday aims to reduce stress and burnout by requiring companies and employees to strike agreements about when they can be reached.
The Dutch Labour Party is championing the measure, which it promised to introduce in its manifesto for the recent general election.
It said that work and private life had become increasingly blurred by the many people working from home during the pandemic.
“The traditional nine-to-five working time is a thing of the past in many Dutch workplaces,” said a document presented by politician Gijs van Dijk.
“Employees are almost always available and they feel pressure to respond to work messages even in their free time.
“The time for paying attention to friends and family or simply relaxing on the sofa can therefore come under pressure.”
Burnout is the No 1 occupational illness in the Netherlands, the document said, with more than one million people suffering from work-related stress.
It said the largest group of these was comprised of people aged 25 to 35, who could become a generation of burnt-out workers if the issue is not addressed.
Mr van Dijk told Dutch media he hoped for support from the Green Left and Democrats 66 parties, which both mentioned the issue in their manifestos.
Right to disconnect around the world
France introduced a similar law in 2016, which required companies with more than 50 workers to set out when employees could disconnect.
But a survey by a French trade union last year found that nearly 80 per cent of remote workers did not enjoy the right to disconnect during the pandemic.
Volkswagen brought in a system in 2012 in which its email servers would not deliver messages to employees between 6.15pm and 7am the next day.
A study by the UK’s University of Sussex in 2020 warned against catch-all measures that would not be suitable for all.
It said some employees would prefer to be able to attend to work outside normal hours.
The study was published before the pandemic prompted many offices to send their employees home.
Figures published by the European Parliament show people who regularly work from home are more than twice as likely to work longer than the EU maximum of 48 hours per week.
MEPs in January called on the European Commission to bring in a right to disconnect across the 27 EU nations.
The UK's Trades Union Congress made a similar call to the British government on Wednesday.
In addition to France, it named Ireland, Argentina and the Philippines as countries where workers had a right to disconnect.
UAE’s revised Cricket World Cup League Two schedule
August, 2021: Host - United States; Teams - UAE, United States and Scotland
Between September and November, 2021 (dates TBC): Host - Namibia; Teams - Namibia, Oman, UAE
December, 2021: Host - UAE; Teams - UAE, Namibia, Oman
February, 2022: Hosts - Nepal; Teams - UAE, Nepal, PNG
June, 2022: Hosts - Scotland; Teams - UAE, United States, Scotland
September, 2022: Hosts - PNG; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal
February, 2023: Hosts - UAE; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
RESULT
Australia 3 (0) Honduras 1 (0)
Australia: Jedinak (53', 72' pen, 85' pen)
Honduras: Elis (90 4)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
