[akudha]

This is all good. But the fact that we have reached a level where there needs to be a law for humans to treat other humans nicely - that is the sad part. Not emailing after work hours should be common sense and politeness, instead of needing a law, no?

[menzoic]

I think you're looking at this backwards which makes it look bad. The reality is, humans haven't been treating other humans nicely in labor relationships for tens of thousands of years. I don't think you'd be able to look back even a decade and say it was better than now, so rather than "reached a level" of inhumanity, I'd say we reached a new level of humane treatment with a law like this. Its just another step in the right direction after centuries of progress. Without laws this good behavior is left up to the culture of the leaders of a company. Its similar to how before child labor laws, some companies didn't use child labor. Now that theres a law for it, no company does (at least on the soil where then law is in effect) which causes the next generation to see this better state as the new normal.

[akudha]

Thats a very good way of looking at it.

That said, if we need laws for every small thing that should/could be resolved with common sense, where does it end? Plus, we been ultra specialists for everything, when there are a billion laws.

Still, as you pointed out, if these laws improve the situation, it is a good thing I guess. I just hate that everything needs to be enforced with the threat of fines or violence. Another thing is I don’t trust the government to be impartial.

[8ytecoder]

Sometimes a law is a necessity. It gives a level playing field for companies. If one business establishment wants to do the right thing, they have to weight it the financial loss they suffer against goodwill or their own conscience. But if it’s the law, it’s straightforward and since everyone has to abide, the loss of any potential business profit is out of the equation entirely.

It’s something that looks like a stick but really a carrot.

[twobitshifter]

In the history of labor, this would rank as a minor infraction in terms humans failing to treat other humans fairly. The only way out of the mistreatment of employees has historically been enacting laws such as the fair labor standards act of 1938. Without that law we’d still have children working in mines and the 40-hour workweek wouldn’t exist.

[eru]

We don't _need_ a law. Politicians just want to be seen doing something, and people like to see them do something.

It's just more bureaucracy and fodder for the compliance department.