California law would let you ignore after-hours calls, texts from work
California proposes 'right to disconnect' bill
Attorney John Milikowsky joins LiveNOW's Austin Westfall to discuss California's proposed "right to disconnect" bill.
A proposed bill in California would grant workers more work-life balance, allowing them to disconnect from their devices and not be disturbed by calls and texts when they are off the clock.
Assemblyman Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) is introducing a state bill to create a "right-to-disconnect" law that guarantees workers uninterrupted personal and family time, free from calls or messages after work hours.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the law would also order workers to create and publish plans to implement the new law into their policies and enable the California Labor Commissioner’s Office to investigate and fine employers who routinely violate it.
RELATED: Most people have an unhealthy relationship with work, study finds: 'Huge opportunity'
The politician also told the news outlet that the bill would validate California as a "forward-thinking state" and it would follow similar policies in a dozen countries, including France.
FILE-Employees work at their desks at a real estate firm in 2021. (Photo by Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
However, the California Chamber of Commerce and some business advocacy groups are not on board with the bill.
In a letter obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Ashley Hoffman, a senior policy advocate for the California Chamber of Commerce, wrote that the legislation wasn’t specific and doesn’t consider California’s laws for hours worked and exempt employees and different work industries and jobs.
RELATED: Gen Z attitude toward 9-to-5 job sparking debate about the difference in generational work ethics
Hoffman also pointed out in her letter that the law seems to apply to exempt employees paid a regular salary no matter the hours they work.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Haney pointed out that the proposed bill would make exceptions for after-work contact for emergencies or discussion about work schedules. Additionally, the legislation has exceptions for labor unions to grant collective bargaining agreements to replace the law.
This story was reported from Washington, D.C.
Clouds and chilly winds to linger in the Bay Area
Temperatures are remaining frosty, and the North Bay could see some scattered showers beginning on Sunday.
Investigators probe possible link between missing Tracy man, body found near Lake Berryessa
Surveillance footage showed a white SUV and three suspects dressed in dark clothing with the missing man, and authorities said he “appears to have entered the vehicle against his will."
Utah avalanches kill 11-year-old girl and father in season’s first deaths
Separate avalanches in Utah this week killed an 11-year-old girl near a ski resort and a father who was snowmobiling with his son.
Outraged cruise passengers blast company's 'idiotic' new dress code crackdown
Norwegian Cruise Line is facing backlash from some passengers over a new dress code policy.
Crews recover bodies of all 9 victims in deadly Lake Tahoe avalanche
A group of 15 skiers were on the final leg of a backcountry trip to Castle Peak near Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada when they were caught in the avalanche.
Celebrity deaths of 2026: The entertainers and artists we lost this year
From music legends to classic film stars, here’s a look at the well-known figures who have died in 2026.
Cold, cloudy start to the day
Cool temperatures and breezy conditions are forecasted as the Bay Area enters the afternoon.
Willie Colón, salsa legend and music pioneer, dies at 75
Willie Colón, the iconic salsa trombonist, composer and producer who helped define the Nuyorican salsa movement, has died at 75.
Left behind at Las Vegas airport, dog ‘JetBlue’ now has a forever home
A dog that was tied to a baggage sizer and abandoned at a Las Vegas airport earlier this month has found a new home with the police officer who helped rescue him.
How to avoid tax scams this filing season
As tax filing season begins, scammers are ramping up efforts to steal money and personal information from taxpayers.