Checking Work Email After 6 p.m. Is Now Banned In France

I tend to work late most days, and because of that I end up sending and reading a TON of emails after most people would already be home spending time with the family. It doesn't bother me at all, but I guess there are some people who would rather not operate that way. Turns out, if I lived in France, I would totally have change that, though.

Thursday, two employee unions and federations in France signed an agreement that requires employees to disconnect after the workday ends at 6 p.m. sharp.

All after-hours work activity (checking your email, logging into the company chat to check in, responding to late-night “emergencies” from your bosses, etc.) is banned. The agreement only actually affects about 250,000 employees.

It’s a two-sided coin, though: Employers are not to pressure their employees into being available after 6 p.m., but employees also have to “resist temptation to look at work-related material on their computers or smartphones.” Which for many of us would be a challenge.

Do you think this ban is a good idea? Do you think that this will ever catch on here in the States?

[The Guardian]