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Eurofound Talks
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Episode 20
14 April 2024

Is it a right to disconnect?

In this episode of Eurofound Talks Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Research Manager Tina Weber about new research on the right to disconnect, the evolution of the right to disconnect in Europe, the reasons why legislative and procedural actions are being called for, the impacts that effective right to disconnect policies can have, and what the debate indicates about the post-pandemic world of work.

The COVID-19 pandemic had multiple impacts on society, but perhaps one of the most enduring in terms of the world of work has been the proliferation of telework. Around one-third of jobs in the EU are teleworkable, and an estimated 40 million people telework on a regular basis. While most workers who can telework have embraced it, there have been notable impacts on work-life balance, stress and other psychological risks. This has given rise to calls for a right to disconnect.

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Mary McCaughey

Head of Unit
Information and Communication

Mary McCaughey je vedúcou oddelenia informácií a komunikácie v nadácii Eurofound. Absolventka Trinity College v Dubline a College of Europe v Bruggách začala pracovať v Bruseli pre Europolitics a Wall Street Journal Europe. Počas prechodu krajiny k demokracii spolupracovala so Združením poslancov Európskeho parlamentu s Afrikou (AWEPA) v Južnej Afrike a v roku 1998 nastúpila na post hovorkyne delegácie Európskej únie v Pretórii, kde viedla jej tlačové a informačné oddelenie počas rokovaní o dohode o voľnom obchode medzi EÚ a Južnou Afrikou. Po skončení vojny v Kosove pracovala ako komunikačná konzultantka pre Európsku agentúru pre obnovu v Srbsku. V roku 2003 nastúpila na post šéfredaktorky nadácie Eurofound.

Tina Weber

Senior research manager
Working life research

Tina Weber is a senior research manager in Eurofound’s Working Life unit. Her work has focused on labour shortages, the impact of hybrid work and an ‘always on’ culture and the right to disconnect, working conditions and social protection measures for self-employed workers and the impact of the twin transitions on employment, working conditions and industrial relations. She is responsible for studies assessing the representativeness of European social partner organisations. She has also carried out research on European Works Councils and the evolution of industrial relations and social dialogue in the European Union. Prior to joining Eurofound in 2019, she worked for a private research institute primarily carrying out impact assessments and evaluations of EU labour law and labour market policies. Tina holds a PhD in Political Sciences from the University of Edinburgh which focussed on the role of national trade unions and employers’ organisations in the European social dialogue.

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Mary McCaughey
Dragoș Adăscăliței
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European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies