Proposed city Council bill that would give new Yorkers the right not to respond to emails and phone calls superiors out of hours, received a hostile reception by the local employers. A similar law is already working in Germany and France, but it is fundamentally contrary to the working culture of new York, argue opponents of the bill.
Thanks to modern technology, employers have the opportunity (and temptation) to contact employees at any time of the day or night. Because of this, new Yorkers have to constantly check the mail in fear of miss the message from the authorities — even after hours.
Why many «bosses» did not like the bill — obviously. During yesterday’s public hearings, representatives of business groups, in particular REBNY (Real Estate Board of New York) and TechNYC, said that it would be detrimental to the business, and, therefore, involved employees. Yes, in itself the ban, according to them, difficult to implement.
Zach Steinberg of REBNY , said:
«Too often the city Council approves the bills, not realizing how they are actually feasible, and not realizing [their] effects, although guided by good intentions».
In the case of the bill employees will be able to submit complaints to the Department of consumer protection (Department of Consumer Affairs — DСA), which in turn would penalize employers. In the DCA stated that, although the Department endorses the idea of the bill, it is not physically able to control the thousands of entrepreneurs and therefore could not support the bill.
Many employers believe that in this law there is needed. The Executive Director of the Partnership for New York, Kathy Wilde, said that, in most cases, communication between bosses and workers after hours is on a voluntary basis.
Against the last argument objected to public organizer NMAS (National Mobilization Against Sweatshops) Annan Pina:
«The fact that some of you believe what to say to your boss — it is voluntary — madness.»
In the administration of new York mayor bill De Blasio also did not support the bill, saying:
«Of course, the authorities should bear in mind the work schedules of his subordinates. However, legislative regulation of time sending emails is not our priority… the Mayor is focused on fair pay of employees, providing medical care, granting [them] well-deserved vacation and pension funding».
