The Malta IT Law Association (MITLA) is organising a free-to-attend webinar on the right to disconnect on March 23.
The right to disconnect is a proposed right regarding the ability of people to disconnect from work and primarily not to engage in work-related electronic communications such as e-mails, calls or messages during non-work hours.
The webinar will host a wide array of stakeholders, representatives and the public, in order to understand better the various positions prevalent in Malta with respect to this right.
Panelists will include Alex Agius Saliba, the MEP responsible for pushing the proposals relating to the right to disconnect at EU Level; Andre Xuereb, Ambassador for Digital Affairs; Charlotte Camilleri, executive in EU and legal affairs at the Malta Employers’ Association; and J.P. Fabri, economist and co-founding partner of Seed Consultancy.
During the webinar, MITLA will also present its position paper which is currently being drafted. MITLA’s president Antonio Ghio explained that the increased adoption in electronic communications and information technology tools have introduced new challenges within working environments and what is expected from workers. More so, he believes that as the country moves into its second partial lockdown, a broad discussion on the introduction of further protection to the workers against these growing realities is essential.
Gege Gatt, MITLA’s vice president, also explained that MITLA embraces the principles surrounding the right to disconnect as an important step towards embracing the digital economy while, at the same time, protecting workers’ rights.
In conjunction with the positive vote for the resolution with recommendations on the right to disconnect achieved in the EU Parliament in January, MITLA considers that the position currently taken by the EU Commission ‒ especially through the statements made by EU Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit during the same debate in parliament ‒ should serve as the cornerstone for further explorations on the right to disconnect, discouraging one-size-fits-all solutions across member states.
The webinar is of interest to anyone involved in law, IT, HR as well as employers and employees. Interested parties are required to register free of charge online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/webinar-right-to-disconnect-tickets-142873012025. Webinar attendees will be given the opportunity to become members of MITLA at a 50 per cent discounted rate. Memberships are available for corporates and entities, individuals as well as students and can be accessed online at www.mitla.org.mt/membership/.