DCDSB Right to Disconnect from Work

May 18, 2022

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) staff believe in the value of open and responsive communication between home and school in support of our students.

In December 2021, the Ontario Government passed the Working for Workers Act which requires all employers with more than 25 employees, to implement a policy that ensures staff have the opportunity to disconnect from work each day.

As a Board of Education with approximately 2,400 staff members, we are committed to supporting positive work-life balance for our employees. We take this responsibility seriously and believe that the overall health and well-being of our staff impacts their ability to effectively support the learning needs of our students.

The DCDSB Right to Disconnect from Work Policy, which is now in effect, protects the right of staff to disconnect from work between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, and all day on weekends, approved vacation days, statutory holidays and Board-designated non-working days.

How will this impact parents and guardians?

As a Board, we recognize that our families have many different responsibilities and work obligations of their own which may impact the times when they are able to write notes and/or emails to their children’s school and/or educators.  All parents and guardians are advised however, that in most cases, communication received after hours will not be responded to until the next working day.

We trust that in this time, when mental health and well-being is so important for everyone, that you will understand and support this change in the interest of maintaining a positive and resilient workforce in our schools and across our Catholic learning community.

Yours in Faith,

Tracy Barill
Director of Education