What happened : As part of new legislation known as the “right to rest,” supervisors in Portugal are prohibited from texting or emailing employees outside of working hours.
Details: The move is part of a series of reforms aimed at improving work-life balance as a result of an increase in people working from home across the country. If companies with more than ten employees contact employees outside of their contracted hours, they may be fined. There are also new guidelines for permitting parents to work from home with their children. Until their child turns eight, parents will be allowed to work from home forever without requesting prior consent from their employers. Companies may also be required to contribute to higher residential bills, such as energy and internet fees, as a result of being home-based.