Market Research Biz News: Portuguese Labor Law: It is currently illegal for employers to send text messages or make phone calls to workers outside of normal hours.

Lisbon, Portugal-Have you ever had a relentless boss who never stopped sending you messages after you quit your job or logged off? In Portugal, that behavior is currently illegal.

The country recently introduced legislation that prohibits employers from contacting workers by phone, message, or email outside normal hours.

“Employers must respect the privacy of their workers,” the new law stipulates, including rest periods and family time. Violations will continue, resulting in “serious” violations and possible fines.

Similar rules give French workers the right to ignore business emails during non-business hours in 2017.

more: Boss monitoring employees working at home using “tattleware”

Portugal’s new policy is part of a law that regulates working from home. Employees have the right to opt out of remote work as needed, but they can also request an arrangement if it is compatible with their work.

The bill also stipulates that employers are responsible for providing workers with the appropriate tools to do their work remotely. They need to reimburse workers for additional costs that may be incurred while working at home, including increased billing for electricity and gas.

The law was passed by the Portuguese Parliament last Friday and came into force the next day.

Portugal has been led by a socialist government for six years, but Prime Minister Antonio Costa could lose power early next year. The country’s president recently called for a sudden election in late January in a budget conflict.

The capital, Lisbon, has worked hard to appeal to digital nomads who want to use remote work to temporarily move or travel outside their home country.

This practice became more common during pandemics. Research firm Gartner predicts that remote workers will account for 32% of the world’s workforce by the end of 2021, compared to 17% in 2019.