Michigan lawmakers are considering legislation that would give employees a legal “right to disconnect” from work communications after hours, adding the state to a growing debate over work-life boundaries in the digital age.
Introduced as the Workplace Employee Boundaries Act (Senate Bill 948), the proposal would prohibit employers from requiring employees to monitor or respond to work-related emails, text messages, phone calls, or other communications outside their regularly scheduled work hours. The bill would also bar employers from retaliating against workers who choose not to respond after hours and would authorize civil penalties of up to $500 per violation. Supporters say the measure is designed to address an increasingly “always-on” workplace culture fueled by smartphones and remote work.
The proposal follows similar efforts elsewhere, including California, where Assembly Bill 2751 sought to establish a statewide right to disconnect. That measure would have required employers to adopt written policies defining employees’ nonworking hours and generally prohibited after-hours communications except for emergencies or scheduling matters. However, with SHRM’s opposition, the bill stalled in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in 2024 and did not become law.
Supporters of Michigan’s legislation argue that technology has blurred the line between work and personal life, making it increasingly difficult for employees to truly disconnect. They contend that workers should...
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