The Right to Disconnect: Ontario's After-Hours Policy Rule

Under Ontario's Employment Standards Act, employers with 25 or more employees must have a written policy on disconnecting from work: not engaging in work-related emails, calls, video calls or other messages outside working hours.

What the policy covers

• What the employer expects about emails, calls and messages after hours.
• Any differences by role, such as on-call staff.
• The date it was prepared and any changes.

What it doesn't do

• It doesn't create a new right to refuse all after-hours contact.
• Your existing rights, such as hours of work limits and overtime pay, still apply.

Overtime and on-call time

If you work after hours, including answering messages, that time may count toward overtime. Being required to remain available can count as work too.

Practical tips

• Ask for the policy if you haven't received it.
• Keep a record of significant after-hours work.
• For employers: set clear expectations and respect them.

Sources

• Employment Standards Act, 2000
• Ontario: your guide to the Employment Standards Act

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General Ontario legal information, not legal advice for your matter, and reading it does not create a retainer. Sources checked 15 October 2026: check the current law, forms and dates before you act.

Photos from Pexels: A bright home office · A text message conversation on a phone.

This article is general information for people in Ontario, not legal advice. Rules, forms and deadlines change, and every situation is different. Check the current rule or speak to a licensed legal professional before you act.