Contractors urged to prepare for imminent workplace change

Civil contracting business owners are encouraged to prepare for a significant workplace change that comes into effect next month.

The Right to Disconnect – one of the provisions of the federal government’s contentious Closing Loopholes workplace legislation changes – applies from Monday, 26 August.

This means eligible employees working for a civil contractor with 15 or more staff will have the right to refuse employer or third-party contact outside of their contracted working hours.

Businesses with less than 15 workers have another year before the same law applies to their business, from 26 August 2025.

According to the federal Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, “The right to disconnect will inform how employers and employees interact outside  of working hours.

“The right does not prohibit employers from contacting their employees, nor does it prevent employees from contacting each other, including across time zones.

“Rather, the employee will be able to refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact, or attempted contact outside of working hours, when they are not expected to be working or paid to be working, so long as doing so is not unreasonable.”

Get support, get ready!
Fortune favours the ready! Be prepared for the upcoming change with the following resources:

Download our information flyer

Check out the Fair Work Ombudsman website (link) for more details

For practical advice and support, contact CCF Victoria’s HR expert Peter Maguire from Ridgeline HR at enquiries@ridgelinehr.com.au

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