Malta: preparations being made for legislation on the ‘right to disconnect’

Malta is in line to be the next European country that legally recognises an employee’s ‘right to disconnect’. On 23 November, at a meeting with representatives of the General Workers Union, Malta’s main trade union body, Carmelo Abela, Minister Delegate (Office of the Prime Minister) in charge of Social Dialogue announced the first version of draft legislation addressing the right of employees to disconnect. Mr. Abela underlined the importance of improving employees’ working conditions and also promised more flexibility for employers, in a “win-win” approach that would benefit Malta’s competitiveness. The Labour Party member praised the work of the trade union and stated that his government will continue to “listen to and take into account the demands of the social partners”. He also announced that discussions were starting on the proposals from each of the government’s and social partners’ working groups regarding salary regulation ordinances, some of which have not been revised for decades. These working groups were launched in June 2020 with the aim of harmonising labour law, the lack of which has resulted in some sectors benefiting from a right to sick leave while others do not.