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Lansing, MI — A bill recently introduced in Michigan would prohibit employers in the state from requiring workers to access or respond to after-hours communications.
Introduced by Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor), S.B. 948 aims to “modernize labor standards and protect workers from after-hours digital intrusion.”
In a press release, Geiss says that “in an increasingly ‘always-on, always-available’ economy, we must take action to protect workers and create stronger boundaries.”
She continues: “Too many workers are expected to be constantly available, answering emails, messages and calls long after their workday ends. That pressure erodes well-being, undermines family life, and disproportionately impacts working parents and caregivers. It is a matter of fairness, dignity and basic respect.”
The bill has been referred to the Michigan Senate Labor Committee.
A 2024 survey of more than 1,100 U.S. workers found that around 90% are in favor of laws that would allow them to disconnect from email and other communications after hours.
That same year, a California assemblymember introduced a similar bill, but it failed to make it out of committee.
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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication