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EU pushes for 'right to disconnect' from work at home

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Re: EU pushes for 'right to disconnect' from work at home

#21

Post by gattilorenz »

raister wrote: post #6

> The new legislation, which is expected to be passed by Germany's Bundestag parliament, would allow workers to write off €5 ($6) per day to offset extra heating and electricity costs. That's not feasible or scalable. As it is a balance, they will give you this but will take out somewhere else (less yearly increase and so on). It's almost a disservice...

> As it is a balance, they will give you this but will take out somewhere else (less yearly increase and so on).

It's taken off your taxes, not payed directly by your employer

Re: EU pushes for 'right to disconnect' from work at home

#22

Post by mrlala »

hawktheslayer wrote: post #11

I also see the opposite impact both for me and my staff. It's very difficult to say no to the constant demands of children at home and the lack of physical distance makes it hard for me to concentrate on my work during regular work hours.

Sure, but that really has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

The point is, just because you are working from home (and have access to 100% of what you 'need' for work since you are always working from home) doesn't mean you should be expected to be on call at any time just because "you can".

Re: EU pushes for 'right to disconnect' from work at home

#23

Post by brainwad »

raister wrote: post #6

> The new legislation, which is expected to be passed by Germany's Bundestag parliament, would allow workers to write off €5 ($6) per day to offset extra heating and electricity costs. That's not feasible or scalable. As it is a balance, they will give you this but will take out somewhere else (less yearly increase and so on). It's almost a disservice...

No, it's totally feasible. In 2019, businesses had expenses related to keeping offices habitable, that reduced their taxable income. Those offices are now closed, so they will have higher taxable incomes than they otherwise would. This will offset the lowered taxable incomes of from-home workers.

Re: EU pushes for 'right to disconnect' from work at home

#24

Post by lol768 »

raister wrote: post #6

> The new legislation, which is expected to be passed by Germany's Bundestag parliament, would allow workers to write off €5 ($6) per day to offset extra heating and electricity costs. That's not feasible or scalable. As it is a balance, they will give you this but will take out somewhere else (less yearly increase and so on). It's almost a disservice...

It's been this way in the UK for a long time, though it's set at £1.20 no-questions-asked via the basic PAYE portal and any amount you want to claim over the £6/week threshold on the self-assessment if you can evidence it (with receipts) and prove it was necessary for the remote work.

Re: EU pushes for 'right to disconnect' from work at home

#25

Post by trisiak »

dahfizz wrote: post #7

> The right to disconnect refers to a worker’s right to be able to disengage from work and refrain from engaging in work-related electronic communications, such as emails or other messages, during non-work hours.[1] What does that even mean? Is the EU also going to come out with the "Right to breathe" and the "Right to go to the bathroom when you need to"? I'm really frustrated with how the term "right" has been wate…

> Is the EU also going to come out with the "Right to breathe" and the "Right to go to the bathroom when you need to"?

Yes, when it becomes a practically accepted norm to violate that right. Is your point that government is overstepping the bounds, or that this type of right does not deserve protection? Or is it just about the semantics and definition of the word "right"?

> Rights are no longer something innate to all humans, they are something that the government gives to you when it wants.

I always thought that the humanity creates communities, countries and their governments to protect those rights, among other things.

Re: EU pushes for 'right to disconnect' from work at home

#26

Post by exDM69 »

hawktheslayer wrote: post #11

I also see the opposite impact both for me and my staff. It's very difficult to say no to the constant demands of children at home and the lack of physical distance makes it hard for me to concentrate on my work during regular work hours.

Note that this legislation has been in preparation before the pandemic. It is not a response to working from home increasing in 2020.

Re: EU pushes for 'right to disconnect' from work at home

#27

Post by ljm »

MereInterest wrote: post #15
CommanderData wrote: post #4

Love this. I've increasingly seen and heard employers trying to take advantage of the current situation and we need more regulation and protection for workers. People are being asked to do extra and too afraid to speak out especially with so many companies making redundancies. One area of focus for me is sickness and working from home. Sick days should be about rest and recovering both physically and mentally. Often…

Along the same lines on sick days, I think it should be forbidden for employers to merge vacation days and sick days into "PTO". Merging the pools gives an incentive for people to come to work while ill. For example, suppose somebody has 3 PTO days remaining for the year, and they are all earmarked for Christmas vacation with family. If that person catches the flu in early December, their options are (a) cancel Chris…

I presume that is the US, in which case the US has a hell of a lot of catching up to do in terms of workers rights, and work ethic in general.

Not to say we are perfect in the EU (and the UK, how I wish I didn't have to specify that separately now :(), but it's leaps and bounds ahead.

Re: EU pushes for 'right to disconnect' from work at home

#28

Post by user-the-name »

dahfizz wrote: post #14
troughway wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>What does that even mean? Is the EU also going to come out with the "Right to breathe" and the "Right to go to the bathroom when you need to"? Have you seen amazon's warehouse work conditions?

Yes, some people's work conditions are very bad and something needs to be done about that. That's beside the point. If you need to ask the government to give you the right to use the bathroom, or to give you the right to not check your email, you've already lost.

What? That makes no sense.

This is the exact reason you even have a government, to protect your rights.

Re: EU pushes for 'right to disconnect' from work at home

#29

Post by dmitriid »

dahfizz wrote: post #14
troughway wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>What does that even mean? Is the EU also going to come out with the "Right to breathe" and the "Right to go to the bathroom when you need to"? Have you seen amazon's warehouse work conditions?

Yes, some people's work conditions are very bad and something needs to be done about that. That's beside the point. If you need to ask the government to give you the right to use the bathroom, or to give you the right to not check your email, you've already lost.

So, your proposal is? Leave everything as is and change nothing?
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