Government to Scrap Plans for Workers' Right to "Switch Off" Outside Work Hours

The government is reportedly set to scrap plans to give workers the right to "switch off" outside of work hours. This policy, which was a key part of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's manifesto, would have allowed employees to ignore work-related emails and calls outside of office hours, as well as refuse to take on extra work at weekends.

The policy was inspired by similar models in Ireland and Belgium, and was intended to ensure that "working from home does not become homes turning into 24/7 offices." While it was not included in the Employment Bill currently making its way through Parliament, ministers had previously promised that it would be introduced in the future.

However, according to the Sunday Times, ministers are now expected to announce that the policy has been dropped. This decision is reportedly being made in an effort to boost business confidence, following the recent Budget which placed additional costs on employers in the form of increased national insurance contributions.

A government source told the newspaper that the "right to switch off is dead." They added that "growth that puts money in people's pockets is the number one priority of this Government's plan for change. That means making Britain the best country in the world to do business and a key part of that is removing unnecessary barriers."

"This is about ensuring people have some time to rest." They added that "good employers understand that for workers to stay motivated and productive they do need to be able to switch off, and a culture of presenteeism can be damaging to productivity.