The World Briefly

February 03, 2023

Do Not Disturb

Kenya

Listen to Today's Edition

Kenyan legislators are considering a new bill to stop employers from contacting their staff after hours, the first African country to create legislation protecting people’s work-life balance, Quartz reported.

The bill, to be debated later this month, would forbid employers from calling, texting or emailing employees after work, on holidays or weekends, giving employees “the right to disconnect.”

It’s the latest effort by countries to promote a work-life balance and stop employers from demanding extra work without pay.

The measure would apply to companies with more than 10 employees. Employers violating the rules would be subject to a $400 fine.

Countries, mainly in Europe, have been experimenting with such measures, the Washington Post noted. France created the first such law in 2017, followed by Spain, Belgium, Italy, Ireland and Portugal. Provinces in Canada and Australia have also created versions of these laws.

While most European laws on the right to disconnect forbid such contact, the Kenyan bill mandates that workers are to be paid for the extra time and protected from retribution if they choose not to work the extra time.

Kenya will face more challenges in implementing such a law than France or other European countries, Quartz noted.

The country’s economic situation is deteriorating, marked by high inflation and sky-high youth unemployment. That means desperate would-be workers would be willing to ignore any right to disconnect.

And unlike France and many other European countries, Kenya is not a heavily unionized country with labor leaders willing to fight on behalf of employees whose rights are violated.

Meanwhile, employers criticized the bill, saying it would hurt the country’s economy, the ability to create jobs, and promote “indiscipline” among employees.

This story originally appeared in the February 03, 2023 newsletter, Held Hostage.