Right to Disconnect Policy

Author: Felicia Sprague, Co-founder Dental Hive

Download the printable version here.

In Ontario, employers that employ 25 or more employees are required to have a written policy on disconnecting from work in place for all employees. They are also required to provide a copy of the written policy to all employees.

In order to maintain a healthy work/life balance, all employers should implement a Right to Disconnect Policy, regardless of the number of employees or your province or state demands.


Right to Disconnect Policy

Introduction:

[Company Name] is committed to providing a healthy and balanced working environment for all its employees. In support of this commitment, we have implemented a Right to Disconnect Policy to promote the well-being and work-life balance of our workforce.

Scope:

This policy applies to all employees of [Company Name] who work remotely or in-house. It is the company’s responsibility to ensure that our employees have the right to disconnect from work-related communication during non-working hours.

Policy Statement:

Employees have the right to disconnect from work-related communication, including emails, phone calls, and instant messaging, outside of their regular working hours. This includes weekends and holidays, as well as any agreed-upon flex hours.

[Company Name] recognizes that the use of mobile devices, laptops, and other technological tools has become essential to the workplace, but it can also blur the lines between work and personal life. As such, we encourage our employees to take time off and rest without any interruption from work.

To ensure that our employees can enjoy their right to disconnect, the following guidelines must be followed:

All employees are encouraged to set clear boundaries regarding when they will be available for work communication.

Employees must not be penalized or subjected to any form of retribution for disconnecting from work communication during non-working hours.

Managers and team leads must respect the right of their team members to disconnect and not overload them with work that should be completed during working hours.

All employees must adhere to the company’s Communication and Collaboration Policy and other related policies governing electronic communications.

Implementation:

The Right to Disconnect Policy will be incorporated into the company’s policies and procedures. The Human Resources department will provide training and support to managers and employees to ensure proper implementation of the Policy.

Non-compliance:

Any violation of this policy can be reported to the employees’ immediate supervisor, Human Resources representative, or the Ethics and Compliance hotline. The company will investigate all reports of non- compliance and will take corrective actions as necessary.

Conclusion:

[Company Name] believes that the well-being of our employees is essential to the success of our business. We encourage all employees to enjoy their right to disconnect from work communication and ensure a better work-life balance.

 

Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0/written-policy-disconnecting-from-work#section-2

Jasper.ai, then reviewed by Felicia Sprague

About the Author: Felicia Sprague
Felicia Sprague is a dental regional manager and co-founder of Dental Hive. Felicia is experienced team training, HR, dental systems development and implementation, and has a track record of increasing productivity in dental offices.

 

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