Does your boss still chat outside work hours? Portugal's new labor laws want to ban that
Portugal has introduced new labor policies to protect employees working from home (WFH) amid the pandemic, all while attracting digital nomads to the country.
Per the Associated Press, new regulations aim to uplift the privacy of those working from home by mandating employers "to avoid contacting workers outside office hours, except under exceptional circumstances."
Employers are also required to pay workers for their WFH expenses, such as electricity or internet bills. To prevent isolation, bosses should also meet with their staff at least once every two months.
Companies that don't comply with the new regulations will liable for fines.
The move comes with the rise of the WFH set-up amid the pandemic, with Portugal long aiming for nomads such as freelancers and entrepreneurs to move to the country.
This wouldn't be the first time that Portugal has targeted nomads, as their Madeira Islands rebranded as a 'digital nomad village' with free internet connection and workstations last February.
The small island comprised of four islands has been using its rich culture and tropic setting "to blend digital nomads with the local businesses and Ponta do Sol inhabitants, turning it into a community of people that have a strong positive impact in the village, both socially and economically."