Mental health experts concerned about Coalition plan to scrap workers’ right to disconnect

Leading mental health experts have raised concerns over the Coalition’s plans to repeal “right to disconnect” laws, arguing that backtracking will have various negative consequences for employee stress and burnout. “We’ve come a long way to understand how important these things are in mental health. Employers also already have obligations to protect the health and safety of their staff, including their mental health. Prof Patrick McGorry from the mental health organisation Orygen, who has endorsed the mental health policies of both major parties at this election, backed the right to disconnect laws for ordinary workers. Harvey said researchers were identifying increasing levels of poor mental health among young workers in Australia.