London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

Give people the right to switch off after work

Give people the right to switch off after work

Workers should be given the "right to switch off" when they have left for the day to ensure homes don't become "24/7 offices", Labour has said.

The party also wants employees to have the right to flexible practices such as working from home.

This would allow people to spend more time with their families instead of commuting, says Labour.

The government says it has no plans to introduce a legal right to work from home.

A spokesperson said: "The 2019 manifesto contains a clear commitment to consulting on making flexible working the default, unless employers have good reasons not to."

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said "as restrictions lift and we adjust to a 'new normal", we need a new deal for working people".

She said Labour's plans would "enable more people to enjoy the benefits of flexible working, from a better work-life balance to spending less time commuting and more time with their family."

"We cannot have a drawn-out consultation process that simply kicks this urgent issue into the long grass, leaving workers in a vulnerable position and allowing employers to dictate terms to their staff."

Labour wants the government to:

*  Give workers the right to flexible working, and for employers to accommodate this "as far as is reasonable and practical"

*  Implement a plan to support small and medium-sized businesses adapt to flexible working practices

*  Put in place new rights to protect workers from remote surveillance

*  Ensure "proper" sick pay and support for self-isolating workers is available

The right to disconnect has been law for four years in France, where companies with more than 50 workers are obliged to set out the hours when staff are not supposed to send or answer emails.

Fifty of the UK's biggest employers have said they do not plan to bring staff back to the office full-time

At the beginning of the pandemic, the government asked people to work from home if they could, and that guidance is still in place, despite the lifting of other restrictions.

However attention is now turning to what will happen when all Covid limits are removed.

An employee can currently ask to continue working from home but the employer does not have to agree to that request.

Some companies have found home working more effective and that reducing office space can save money.

A BBC survey conducted earlier this year found that almost all 50 of the UK's biggest employers did not plan to bring staff back to the office full-time.

Other business, such as cafes in city centres, have suffered from the lower number of office workers.

'Boundaries'


Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy said his union supported flexible working but added that "'flexible' has to actually mean 'flexible', not simply moving work from the office to home with the same long hours, 'always on' culture."

"The challenge as we exit the pandemic is to make sure we build on the flexibility workers want and reset the boundaries between home and work life."

Earlier this week, Downing Street denied press reports it had plans to introduce a legal right to work from home.

The prime minister's official spokesman said that there were "significant benefits" to be gained from people working in the office and that it would set out its position "in due course".

The 2019 Conservative manifesto said it would "encourage flexible working and consult on making it the default unless employers have good reasons not to".

A Flexible Working Task Force is looking at non-binding advice for employers.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×