NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  9735
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Advances in technology has made it easier for people to work and conduct business. Everyone 
is getting more and more connected it is also easier to reach anyone at any given time. 
However, problems arise in such a way that employees work even beyond the normal working 
hours (i.e. replying to emails, replying to messages on their phones, answering calls, among 
others). This could add additional stress to employees and destroy their work life balance.  
In France, a labor law gives employees the "right to disconnect" from email, smartphones and 
other electronic leashes once their working day has ended. According to their Ministry of 
Labor, the law is designed to ensure respect for rest periods and ... balance between work 
and family and personal life"”. 
There have also been studies to show that the anticipatory stress and expectation of 
answering after-hours e-mails is draining employees, leading to "burnout" or the physical, 
psychological and emotional distress caused by a total inability to rest and diminished work-
family balance, which is essential for individual health and well-being.  
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly requested. 
RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ 
December 12, 2023
2:37 pm


NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  9735 
AN ACT 
GRANTING EMPLOYEES THE RIGHT TO DISCONNECT FROM WORK-RELATED 
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS AFTER WORK HOURS, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR 
CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, AS AMENDED 
Be it enacted in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1.  Article 84 of Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, is hereby amended to 
read as follows: 
Article 84. Hours worked. – Hours worked shall include (a) all time 
during which an 
employee is required to be on duty or to be at a 
prescribed workplace; and (b) all time 
during which an employee is 
suffered or permitted to work, INCLUDING TIME SPENT  READING 
AND 
RESPONDING 
TO 
WORK-RELATED 
COMMUNICATIONS 
SENT 
THROUGH ELECTRONIC MEANS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED 
TO E-MAIL,  SHORT MESSAGING SERVICE (SMS), AND MOBILE 
PHONE CALLS, AFTER  
WORKING HOURS. 
Rest periods of short duration during working hours shall be counted as hours worked. 
SECTION 2. A new Article 84-A is hereby inserted after Article 84 of the same law, to read as 
follows:  
ARTICLE 84-A. RIGHT TO DISCONNECT. – AN EMPLOYEE SHALL NOT 
BE REPRIMANDED, PUNISHED, OR OTHERWISE SUBJECTED TO 
DISCIPLINARY ACTION IF HE OR SHE DISREGARDS A WORK-RELATED 
COMMUNICATION SENT AFTER WORK-HOURS, SUBJECT TO THE 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE POLICY TO BE ESTABLISHED BY THE 
EMPLOYER AS REQUIRED IN ARTICLE 84-B HEREOF. 
SECTION 3. A new Article 84-B is further provided, to read as follows: 
ARTICLE 84-B. POLICY ON AFTER-HOURS USE OF TECHNOLOGY. – IT 
SHALL BE THE DUTY OF EVERY EMPLOYER TO ESTABLISH THE 
HOURS WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO SEND OR 
ANSWER 
WORK-RELATED 
E-MAILS, 
TEXTS, 
OR 
CALLS, 
THE 
EMPLOYER SHALL DETERMINE THE CONDITIONS AND EXEMPTIONS 
THEREFROM, SUBJECT TO SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS AS THE 
SECRETARY OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT MAY PROVIDE. 


SECTION 4.  Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days from the 
promulgation of this Act, the Department of Labor and Employment shall formulate rules and 
regulations as may be necessary for the proper implementation of this Act. 
 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and 
subsisting. 
 
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, 
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with, the 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
 
SECTION 7. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,