‘Who dreams this crap up?’: Kevin O'Leary just slammed a new regulation that allows employees to ignore their bosses after hours — says he’ll fire workers who put their phones on silent

O’Leary’s concerns

As an investor and entrepreneur, O’Leary places great importance on the seamless operation of a business, even outside of regular working hours. He has voiced strong concerns about employers’ ability to reach their employees in urgent situations, highlighting potential issues with the “right to disconnect” laws.

“What happens if you have an event in the office and it’s closed? Or you have an emergency somewhere, and you have to get a hold of them at two in the morning because it affects the job they’re working on?” he questioned.

If employees start ignoring their boss’s calls, texts, and emails outside of work hours, an after-hours emergency might have to wait until the next business day, which O’Leary finds unacceptable.

When asked whether he ever encounters employees who silence their phones outside of work, O’Leary didn’t hesitate with his response: “The next moment is — I just fire them.”

Kiss your credit card debt goodbye

Millions of Americans are struggling to crawl out of debt in the face of record-high interest rates. A personal loan offers lower interest rates and fixed payments, making it a smart choice to consolidate high-interest credit card debt. It helps save money, simplifies payments, and accelerates debt payoff. Credible is a free online service that shows you the best lending options to pay off your credit card debt fast — and save a ton in interest.

Explore better rates

‘Clocking off used to mean something’

While O’Leary’s criticism is rooted in the risk of not being able to contact staff during critical moments, proponents of the “right to disconnect” argue that such laws are essential for establishing clear boundaries between professional duties and personal well-being.

In a statement about the new legislation, Australia’s Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Murray Watt said, “Clocking off used to mean something in this country. It meant time with your kids, time with your friends or just time to yourself to relax.”

Watt highlighted how technology has blurred the lines between work and personal life, leaving many Australians feeling pressured to stay connected to emails and calls even after their workday is over. He asserted that, “It should not be controversial that workers shouldn’t be required to do unpaid overtime.”

While the U.S. doesn’t have "right to disconnect" laws at the federal level, California made an attempt to introduce such legislation. Assembly Bill 2751, spearheaded by Assembly Member Matt Haney, was designed to establish this right for employees across the Golden State.

According to the Legislative Counsel’s Digest, “This bill would require a public or private employer to establish a workplace policy that provides employees the right to disconnect from communications from the employer during non-working hours, except as specified.”

Despite the potential impact of this legislation, it did not come to fruition. The bill was shelved for the 2024 legislative session, putting a temporary halt to the push for a formal “right to disconnect” in California.