Right to disconnect laws

[Meepy]

Scotch College and other elite private schools are fighting the right to disconnect for their teachers.  I would argue that is precisely the reason why these laws are required.  It is stressful enough being a teacher, without feeling that you have to be constantly responding to queries from every single student, parent and teacher at all times.

It is unfair for your job to take over your life.  If you choose to do so, respond to emails and calls when you are not being paid to do so.  However if we are expected to be on call, pay us to be on call.  Otherwise respect our family and private time.

[Jolly_F]

It really is ridiculous how jobs have now taken over our personal lives, it’s so much harder to have the clear separation and this is being taken advantage of.

Its why there have been high court rulings about what can be reasonably expected when on a salary.. 

I am firm supporter of the right to disconnect laws! 

[onetrick]

1 hour ago, Meepy said:

Scotch College and other elite private schools are fighting the right to disconnect for their teachers.  I would argue that is precisely the reason why these laws are required.  It is stressful enough being a teacher, without feeling that you have to be constantly responding to queries from every single student, parent and teacher at all times.

It is unfair for your job to take over your life.  If you choose to do so, respond to emails and calls when you are not being paid to do so.  However if we are expected to be on call, pay us to be on call.  Otherwise respect our family and private time.

I work at a similar school and we had a PD on 'delayed send'. Even in my POR, if I'm contacted outside of work hours, I am asked if I am able to talk/ reply, and the expectation to be 'on call' isn't there. When I am emailed late (4pm onwards), there is always an apology and clear understanding that I might not reply until the next work day.

It is AMAZING.

Parents also mostly contact us via YLC, so there is absolutely no expectation to answer any communication outside of work hours (as in 8:30- 3:30). The YLC are not expected to respond outside of work hours but they do have adequate time during work hours to contact parents.

[dianalynch]

Of course everyone should have the right to disconnect…like before email and mobile phones were a thing. Back in the ‘olden’ days, being non contactable out of school hours didn’t stop camps, parent teacher interview evenings, and some co curricular activities and excursions. But now, teachers are so bloody exhausted being on call ALL the time, there’s precious little goodwill left in the workforce for the flexibility that used to exist for the extras, that were done on a local level with some give and take. No surprises we’ve sucked all the goodwill out of teachers and they simply have nothing left to give. 

[Over and out]

Of course everyone should have the right to disconnect.

 

On the "we survived in the past", I think one thing that has changed is that it is possibly harder to get in contact with parents during the day etc on the phone in the small window that teachers have getting that to coincide with parents, if it is not an emergency situation. 

[DrowninginPlushies]

Of course everyone should have the right to disconnect.

DH had to send a strongly worded message to his employers about disconnecting. He's the only person legally qualified to do a certain task so providers & clients called all the time, clients even called on Sunday night & no one gave a stuff when DH said he was on holidays.

It came to a head when he spent the entire week of our family holiday working because a client stuffed around, despite being warned (it's time sensitive). Terrible internet caused issues & the big boss was more annoyed DH hadn't gotten it finished. Then the client pulled the plug on the deal. DH had enough. He's had to hold firm, though. But they don't intrude now.

[Meepy]

Good pint @Over and out.  It does seem harder to get in touch with some parents now, unless they want you, in which case you need to drop everything and respond.  I don’t know why some parents ignore school phone calls or emails.

[Kiwi Bicycle]

Just now, Meepy said:

Good pint @Over and out.  It does seem harder to get in touch with some parents now, unless they want you, in which case you need to drop everything and respond.  I don’t know why some parents ignore school phone calls or emails.

Maybe they are in a Zoom meeting with customers? I know DH declines calls on his phone when he's presenting. I know some calls from a PABX come up as private number and not necessarily identifiable as the school.

[Meepy]

Understand if it is just once but repeatedly parents will not respond to schools.  It might be an emergency so you think you might ring back, but no, nothing.  

[Ernegirl]

4 minutes ago, Meepy said:

Good pint @Over and out.  It does seem harder to get in touch with some parents now, unless they want you, in which case you need to drop everything and respond.  I don’t know why some parents ignore school phone calls or emails.

I guess this is why DD’s school sends its messaging across so many channels: parent portal, emails, Facebook, weekly newsletter, the electronic notice board at the entrance, notes in the school bag, carrier pigeon etc. Whack a mole.

[MaryanneK]

I don't expect teachers to respond to emails I send after hours, but it's the only time I have to send them. If it wasn't urgent I'd expect a reply within a day or two, to be sent at a time that suits the teacher during their work hours. I guess there's a question of what teachers work hours are though. 

[null]

4 minutes ago, MaryanneK said:

I don't expect teachers to respond to emails I send after hours, but it's the only time I have to send them. If it wasn't urgent I'd expect a reply within a day or two, to be sent at a time that suits the teacher during their work hours. I guess there's a question of what teachers work hours are though. 

I also send emails after work because that's when I have time and remember. I never expect an immediate reply. Should I instead schedule the send for school hours?

[Kiwi Bicycle]

I like these messages on emails-

Please note I am sending this email at a time that is convenient to me. I do not expect you to respond or action this email outside of your own working hours.

[Alta Gaudia]

1 hour ago, Meepy said:

I don’t know why some parents ignore school phone calls or emails.

I don't ignore them, but I don't always read or respond very promptly.  I keep telling the school that DH is more available, please contact him first, but no....

[onetrick]

7 minutes ago, MaryanneK said:

I don't expect teachers to respond to emails I send after hours, but it's the only time I have to send them. If it wasn't urgent I'd expect a reply within a day or two, to be sent at a time that suits the teacher during their work hours. I guess there's a question of what teachers work hours are though. 

I like parent emails, much better than the parents who don't communicate ever. Most parents are great  and educating a child involves us all working together. My own child's teachers occasionally get emails at this time of night from me if I need to message, but I don't ever expect a reply straight away.

I actually think the directive is more aimed at colleagues, especially those in leadership. It wasn't unheard of for the principal team to call me on my day off at my old school, or at night/ on weekends (one of the reasons I left was getting a phone call when I was sitting in emergency one night in the school holidays with my 6 month old- I started questioning my priorities as it wasn't an urgent matter). It was really hard to switch off.

New school, my DP messaged me in the holidays just gone and asked if there was any chance that we could chat and to let her know an appropriate time. This was an emergency and only I could help.

Generally, it is understood that we will get the work done and when it happens is up to us- we are not expected to be present and responding to communication outside of school hours. So, if we send an email at 4pm that is ok, but if we send it and assume a reply then that isn't. Later than 4pm and it is frowned upon to send communication and delayed send is encouraged (but also, you know your audience- a personal email isn't the same as a 'whole staff' communication). It's a mind shift, but it is so freeing. I rarely check email at home now, whereas I used to check it at night to clear my inbox and at least twice on my day off.

Sorry for the essay!!

[WaitForMe]

5 hours ago, Jolly_F said:

It really is ridiculous how jobs have now taken over our personal lives, it’s so much harder to have the clear separation and this is being taken advantage of.

Its why there have been high court rulings about what can be reasonably expected when on a salary.. 

I am firm supporter of the right to disconnect laws! 

I was listening to a podcast on how unproductive this connectivity is making people at work. One of the points mentioned which really stuck with me was that in the past, if someone at work wanted to ask you a question or to do something, they'd have to either walk to your office or possibly phone you on the landline and hope you were available, which creates this friction point resulting in people either deciding its not worth it or figuring it out themselves.

These days, theres so little friction for every thought bubble. And the ability to reach people out of hours is yet another friction point gone, resulting in more time wasted on low value stuff.

This is particularly interesting when it comes to education, where when you get stuck, its good to sit with it and be forced to independently figure it out. Being able to reach teachers out of hours just puts the spoon feeding into overdrive.

[MaryanneK]

I work in a pretty high pressure corporate environment and I'm really grateful that this isn't our culture. I feel very comfortable ignoring emails after hours and no one calls each other late. Sometimes, there are deadlines, and yes, people work after hours. Very occasionally I expect people to be contactable (online, not by phone) after hours if we are working as a team to deliver something by the next morning.  But if someone is on leave, that's it. If it's 8pm, I'm not answering emails unless I choose to. I sometimes send 8pm emails but I don't expect an answer till the next day. There's no expectation to work/respond/be 'on' after hours. I really value the flexibility in my job and that sometimes means taking the kids to the dentist at 10am and working at 10pm. We all work hard but there's no issue with expectations of being contactable out of hours. 

[Exp]

5 hours ago, MaryanneK said:

I don't expect teachers to respond to emails I send after hours, but it's the only time I have to send them. If it wasn't urgent I'd expect a reply within a day or two, to be sent at a time that suits the teacher during their work hours. I guess there's a question of what teachers work hours are though. 

8am - 4pm, Mon-Fri

Generally speaking. 

[Kiwi Bicycle]

Well DH has flexible hours because he is in a online meetings with the UK at midnight. It's just the way international things happen. Even before online meetings, it would be phone calls.

However he has flexible times to reflect this. So he can go out for a 2 hour lunch to make up for the 1 hour midnight call.