Portugal: Illegal sending of emails by the manager outside working hours

A new law aimed at protecting them employees from overtime work adopted a few days ago by members of Parliament Portugal.

Among those arrangements, a provision was passed prohibiting directors from sending email and messages to their staff at non-working hours.

«The employer must respect the privacy of the employee“, Including rest periods and family time, is stipulated by the new law, while any violation can result in a fine.

Setting up teleworking

According to the country’s press, and as broadcast by APE BPE, the new laws came in response to the growing number of people working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the law, companies with more than 10 employees could face a fine if they harass their employees during their free time, unless they are special cases – then, they will have to reimburse their staff for work – related expenses incurred at home, such as possible increases in electricity, electricity and gas bills.

The new measure also stipulates that employers are responsible for providing employees with the appropriate tools for teleworking.

“Working remotely has great advantages as long as we control the disadvantages,” she said. Ana Mendes Godinio, Minister of Labor of Portugal. “The pandemic hastened the need to regulate what should have already been regulated,” he said.

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