The ‘right to disconnect’ has changed France for the better – and could soon be law in the UK if Labour goes through with its plans

Every August, the same set of transatlantic memes about work and holiday circulate on social media. The European is depicted as out of the office with a strict attitude towards switching off and not responding to clients (“I’m away camping for the summer – please contact me as of 2 September”) while for the American there is no such luxury (“I’m in the hospital – I’m so so sorry for the 30-minute delay in getting back to you!”).

There’s more than a kernel of truth to this stereotype. Europeans often fret that they are “falling behind” the US economically, but in reality, per capita GDP in the US is 30% higher than in France largely because Americans work 25% more hours every year than French workers. Indeed, the term la rentrée doesn’t have a great translation into (American) English in part because it’s not just a word, it’s a cultural phenomenon: “the return to everything” in September – work, school, book releases, museum exhibitions, concerts and other cultural events, and of course, political brouhaha – when everyone comes back from at least a month’s holiday.

But it’s not only about weeks off during the summer. Since 2017, French labour law has included the “right to disconnect” – a measure the UK government is now also considering. The law, which applies to companies with more than 50 workers, obliges businesses to clearly define...

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