France doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to the Internet, but it does have great work policies. Unfortunately, just like it’s hard to understand their reality shows, it can also be hard to understand their union rules.
The Guardian recently posted a rather light-hearted article about a French law that banned work emails after 6pm in an effort to protect its legally mandated 35-hour workweek. One problem, though: only one word of that is actually true.
It’s not a law: It’s a union agreement. They don’t work a 35-hour workweek. Are you kidding? They’re tech employees. Working yourself to death is a badge of honor with those people. And due to their hours, they can still send professional emails after 6pm because they’re still working.
That’s actually what the rule is all about. It essentially boils down to “When you’re off the clock, you are off the clock.” The agreement boils down to that workers are essentially allowed to step away from their desks and aren’t allowed to be pulled back to them with an email. It’s designed to support the health and well-being of the employee without damaging the work they do.
Which, in of itself, is pretty impressive. But sadly, it’s not banning your boss from sending you an email at 2am. Which is a good thing, because really, how else would you know he thinks the Illuminati are behind the JFK assassination?