Right to disconnect laws to apply to small businesses from August 2025

From 26 August 2025, Australia’s right to disconnect laws will be extended to include small business employers and their employees, defined as businesses with fewer than 15 staff.

The new provisions mean employees will have the legal right to refuse to monitor, read or respond to work-related communications outside of their ordinary working hours, unless the request is deemed reasonable.

What does this mean for early childhood services?

For small early learning providers, this change has important implications for communication protocols and workplace culture. While the legislation recognises that there may be reasonable circumstances where out-of-hours contact is necessary, the overall aim is to support healthier boundaries between work and personal time.

To support the transition, the Fair Work Ombudsman has released a suite of resources tailored for small businesses, including a video series that explains the new laws and how they apply in practice.

Topics covered include:

• An overview of the right to disconnect
• How to talk with employees about boundaries around after-hours communication
• Practical steps to help avoid misunderstandings or workplace disputes

In addition to the video series, employers are invited to join a free webinar hosted by the Fair Work Ombudsman on August 5. The session will provide further guidance on compliance and offer practical strategies for embedding the right to disconnect into workplace policies and practices.

As expectations around work-life balance continue to shift, these changes offer small providers an opportunity to strengthen staff wellbeing and build respectful, sustainable communication practices.

For more information and to access the full suite of resources, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website.