France to give employees ‘right to disconnect’ from emails after work

France is to give employees the “right to disconnect” from checking emails after work as the level of “burn-out” amongst workers raises concerns.

The country’s labour ministry is devising proposals to preserve the 35-hour working week.

Labour minister Myriam El Khomri, is still working out the details, first put forward by Bruno Mettling, director general of the company Orange as part of a series of new labour laws.

Mr Mettling told European news network The Local: “There are risks that need to be anticipated and one of the biggest risks is the balance of a private life and professional life behind this permanent connectivity.”

The law on checking emails is aimed at encouraging companies to join the small number who prevent employees from responding to emails outwith working hours.

Mr Mettling said: “Professionals who find the right balance between private and work life perform far better in their job than those who arrive shattered.”

French firm Technologia, which tries to reduce workers’ risk, said that in the past decade managers who worked at home between 8pm and midnight has risen from a third to 52 per cent.

And the tendency to work out of hours has been strengthened by employees afraid of losing their jobs in the poor economic climate.

Jean-Claude Delgenes of Technologia told The Local: “We have poor self-control when it comes to new technology. Work spills over into people’s private lives.

“The difference between work and social life used to be clearly distinct.”

He added bosses would need to demand less work from employees, saying: “If we introduce a right to disconnect but not reduce the workload for those under pressure, managers will just ignore it or find a way of staying connected.”

Ms El Khomri is due to present her package of labour laws soon.