For a lot of people all over the world, work doesn't end once the shift ends. Some people, especially those in the bigger fields like law, business, and anyone who is constantly on call for something work related, need to constantly attend to whatever it is their job asks for them. Whether it's being called to pick up coffee for their boss or if the person just happens to be a boss and some major urgent issue has appeared out of nowhere, some people can never really run from their jobs. With the new law, however, France may be reacting towards this kind of issue in a different manner.
According to Inquirer.net, France started its year by releasing a new law that would make it legal for workers to ignore work-related emails out the office. This had recently come into play due to the fact that several countries had already taken notice of the effects that after-hours work emails have been having on work-life balance. The New Web, a source that was closer to the issue regarding the new law, states that companies with a workforce of over 50 people are obliged to negotiate the terms regarding sending and receiving after-hours work emails.
NBC News states that the law took place January 1, right at the start of the new year. While there is currently no penalty in place for any of the companies when this law is violated, French companies have been reported to only employ about 49 people in the workforce since the laws do not kick in until they reach 50. The sources goes on to say the ease of stress in people who are not required to check their emails after their shift versus the stress of people that are locked into their "always-on" culture is well-documented, as people who no longer have to answer these emails can spend their time worrying less about work and can set their sights on something to look forward to during their leisure time.
