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     One of the end-of-year projects that has so frustratingly kept me away from this blog was a history paper. Having been given the freedom to do so, I sifted through years of civil rights cases and political trivia to find a topic that I was truly interested in: the Muckrakers. During the Second Industrial Revolution, corporations rose to prominence, exploiting an under-equipped legal system through unethical business practices and humans rights while the American government struggled to keep up with their rapidly industrializing country. The Muckrakers were reform journalists who latched on to these injustices and exposed the corporations through the fourth estate: the press.

     If any of what you have just read interests you, I encourage you to read on.

Image: Insomniac Arts

   



     Following in the footsteps of Germany, Unions in France have passed acts that discourage the use of mobile phones for work after 6pm. The new labor agreements state that employers will not be allowed to pressure employees to work after-hours, and workers themselves will have to resist the temptation to look at work-related content on their devices.

More here: Guardian

Will Germany's new laws help reduce worker stress? Image: Shutterstock

     Germany has introduced a new law, stating that employees cannot be punished for failing to respond to messages from managers after working hours. This move is clearly aimed at reducing worker stress, but is this taking away from the companies of Germany?
     Some may argue that employees are part of the company 24/7, not just when they are required to be at their desks. In my opinion, if an employee's contract specifically states work/non-work hours, then this is a non-issue. If a company wants the benefit of calling on its employees at any time, their contract and benefits should be adjusted accordingly. 
     Perhaps this might be a situation best handled by individual companies, tailoring contracts to their specific needs, but this is nevertheless a strong move by the Labor Ministry in an effort to combat worker stress.