European Nations Adopt Right-to-Disconnect Laws to Curb Work Stress

An expanding always-on work culture is reducing personal time for millions of European employees, fueled by remote work and labor market volatility. Eurofound, a European research agency, found in a June study that 59% of European workers report constant or near-constant stress. The agency noted that 20% of EU workers are contacted for work reasons outside normal hours many times per month, with teleworkers and those with flexible schedules reporting higher rates of out-of-hours contact than those with standard premises-based roles.

In the United Kingdom, the trend is particularly acute. A 2026 report from MyPerfectCV indicates more than half of British employees work beyond normal hours daily. Additionally, an analysis by the Trades Union Congress estimated that 3.5 million British workers provided £28.5 billion in unpaid labor last year.

To address these issues, several nations including France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Luxembourg have established right-to-disconnect laws or workplace codes. Despite these measures, enforcement remains fragmented across Europe due to varying national strategies and corporate cultures. The UK currently lacks a standalone statutory right to disconnect.