New French Law Bars Work Email After Hours

Pre discussion questions

What do you think of this new law?

Would this law be possible in your country?

Workers need to be able to switch off after work. So a new French law says that companies with more than 50 employees must decide hours when staff should not send or answer emails. The goal of the law is so that employees are fairly paid for work. And another goal is for preventing burnout. To prevent burnout private time must be protected.

French legislator Benoit Hamon said that the law as an answer to the problems of employees who “leave the office, but do not really leave their work. They remain attached by a kind of electronic leash—like a dog.”

The email restrictions could give good benefits to both workers and businesses. It could do this by making employees more relaxed and work better. As  pointed out, academic studies have found that workplace email is a significant source of stress. A group of Stanford business professors have estimated that workplace stress added between $125 and $190 billion dollars per year to America’s healthcare costs.  The total amount is between 5 and 8% of total costs to a business. Overwork amounts to $48 billion of that.

Those healthcare costs are largely borne by employers. And this is also with the problem of irritable or absent employees. Employees tired by the control of their private lives

Try to guess the meaning of the words in bold and match them with their closest meaning from the choices in the right. Some of the answers are very close and have similar meaning. The meaning of these words is how they are used in the reading. Some of these words have different meanings in the dictionary depending on how they are used.

 The answers are below the table.

A=6, B=1, C=8, D=5, E=2, F=7, G=3, H=4

Some example sentences using the new words or phrases from the meaning of how they are used in the reading to help you understand better.

1.      After work, I like to switch off by listening to classical music.

2.      Some say that working in Samsung can cause burnout because of the long hours.

3.      The government put restrictions on using water because there had been no rain for four months.

4.      The teacher pointed out that this was not the answer to the question.

5.      My father was significant in my life, he gave me so much good advice.

6.      It is estimated that one million refugees will try to escape the war.

7.      My desire to study to be a doctor was borne from a desire to help people.

8.      These mosquitoes are irritating.

Some questions using the new words/phrases. Try to use the words/phrases in your answer.

1.      How do you switch off after work?

2.      Do you think your country will bring in similar laws to stop worker burnout? Why or why not?

3.      Are there any restrictions you would like to see on companies in your country?

4.      What things does this story point out to you?

5.      Do you agree that work emails are a significant source of stress? Why or why not?

6.      Do you estimate that the cost to Korea’s healthcare from stress is the same, more, or less than America?

7.      What costs do employers in your country have to bear because of worker stress? If employers in your country had to bear the cost of stress, then do you think they would change?

8.      What actions are examples of employees that are irritable?