Under the new regulation, workers can opt to ignore messages from their managers after hours without worrying about facing consequences.
According to a poll conducted last year, Australians put in an average of 281 hours of unpaid overtime per year.
Similar laws are in place in more than 20 nations, primarily in Europe and Latin America.
Employers are still permitted by law to communicate with employees after hours.
Rather, it grants employees the option to remain silent unless their rejection is considered excessive.
Employers and employees are required by law to attempt to settle conflicts amicably.
In the event that a resolution cannot be reached, Australia’s Fair Work Commission (FWC) may become involved.
After hours, the employer may be ordered by the FWC to cease communicating with the employee.
It has the authority to require an employee to answer if it determines that their silence is unreasonable.
Fines for noncompliance with FWC directives can reach A$19,000 ($12,897; £9,762) for employees and A$94,000 for companies.
Workers’ organizations have applauded the action.
According to the Australian Council of Trade Unions, it “will empower workers to refuse unreasonable out-of-hours work contact and enable greater work-life balance.”
Employers will benefit from the new regulations as well, a workplace expert told News.
