CESI calls for a right to disconnect and fair telework

In a position to the European Commission, CESI reiterates its call for clear and enforceable rules on the right to disconnect and fair telework, grounded in occupational safety and health, equality and respect for social partner autonomy.

On a right to disconnect, CESI stresses in particular that:

• a European right to disconnect would not only ensure fairness for workers but also create a level playing field for employers, ensuring that those who respect workers’ boundaries are not undercut by competitors demanding 24/7 availability.
• new measures on a right to disconnect must also consider social integration measures, ensuring that teleworkers are not cut off from workplace life or representation structures.
• rules must also explicitly address the dangers of excessive digital surveillance. Modern software and AI-driven tools can monitor online presence and communications in real time. Such practices can undermine trust, violate privacy and create a permanent climate of pressure.

On fair telework, CESI calls for EU rules that ensure schemes which are:

• voluntary and reversible: Workers must not be forced into telework and must be able to return to on-site work.
• equal in rights: Teleworkers must enjoy the same rights as office workers – equal pay, equal career opportunities, equal training, equal leave rights and equal protection against discrimination.
• safe and healthy: Employers must conduct risk assessments, ensure ergonomic standards and respect OSH obligations in remote contexts.
• preventing isolation: Telework must not lead to social exclusion. Employers should facilitate hybrid interaction, support access to trade unions and worker representatives and invest in digital tools that foster cooperation rather than isolation.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “Without clear rights and enforceable boundaries, flexibility risks becoming a trap of permanent connectedness. A binding right to disconnect would restore balance by guaranteeing that workers can fully enjoy their rest periods and family time. At the same time, While EU legislation must merely set a baseline. Social partners must retain autonomy to adapt implementation at sectoral and company level. This ensures solutions are tailored to specific industries and work cultures, while guaranteeing that no worker is left unprotected.”

CESI’s full position is available here.

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