"We want to make sure that just as people don't get paid 24 hours a day, they don't have to work for 24 hours a day. It's a mental health issue, frankly, as well, for people to be able to disconnect from their work and connect with their family and their life," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in an interview with national broadcaster ABC.
"Today is a historic day for working people. Australian unions have reclaimed the right to knock off after work," said Michele O'Neil, president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
The law was enacted in February this year, and came into effect for medium and large sized companies as of now. Firms with fewer than 15 employees will also be covered from August 2025.
Australian Industry Group had a cooler reaction, stating, 'At the very least, employers and employees will now be uncertain about whether they can take or make a call out of hours to offer an extra shift.'
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