Canadian millionaire and Shark Tank star slams Australia’s right to disconnect law as ‘so dumb’

Shark Tank millionaire Kevin O’Leary has slammed Australia’s new right to go offline law, calling it “so stupid” in a very blunt social media post.

Millions of workers were given the legal right on Monday to ignore calls, emails and texts from their bosses outside of work hours, unless a refusal was deemed “unreasonable.” O’Leary was stunned.

“If anyone tells me they are in ‘silent mode,’ they are fired,” the Canadian businessman wrote in a fiery X post on Thursday.

The 70-year-old is best known as one of the venture capitalists who helps Shark Tank fund startups. His net worth is estimated at $590 million (US$400 million).

“In Australia, workers can ignore their bosses outside of work hours,” he began his latest item on Fox News.

“What happens if there is an event at the office and the office is closed, or if there is an emergency somewhere and you have to contact them at 2am because it affects the task they are working on and their mandate within the organisation?” he asked.

‘This kind of stuff just drives me crazy, it’s so stupid. Who comes up with this kind of nonsense is my question and why would anyone come up with such a stupid idea?’

O’Leary is known as the most direct panelist on the popular business reality series.

He is known for regularly criticizing participants’ business models and product presentations, which sometimes earns him negative reactions on social media.

He once jokingly offered a Dragon’s Den contestant he didn’t like $100,000 to “go down in flames.”

Under the new legislation, a court can order employees to stop unreasonably refusing to contact them outside of working hours. Employers can also be ordered to stop unreasonably demanding that employees respond.

The question of what is reasonable depends “on the circumstances,” the Fair Work Ombudsman said in a statement.

The new laws legally protect employees from being required to take non-urgent calls and respond to emails outside of working hours.

Employees of large companies can refuse to answer ‘unreasonable’ phone calls from their employer after hours. Not answering the phone is unreasonable if the contact is required by law.

If the law does not require a response to the phone call or email, reasonableness is assessed based on the level of responsibility of the employee’s job, how disruptive the contact was, and whether the employee received compensation for it.

However, the changes do not prohibit an employer from sending the email or message outside working hours.

Companies that violate the rules could be fined up to $19,800.

The new federal laws will apply to businesses with 15 or more employees from August 26, 2025. Smaller businesses will have another 12 months to adapt to the change.

O’Leary isn’t the only celebrity to speak out about the new legislation. Shock jock Kyle Sandilands recently warned Australian workers not to get too excited about the changes.

“That doesn’t mean they won’t rush you behind the scenes,” the 53-year-old radio host said on his KISS FM Kyle and Jackie O Show this week.

Kyle argued that while the new law would make it illegal for bosses to punish employees who don’t show up after work, some unscrupulous managers could find ways to get around the law.

“Don’t think for one second, ‘Fuck that realtor,’” Kyle said.

‘Because eventually they will find a way to get rid of you and bypass the borders.’

Kyle also urged all Australian workers not to abuse the system.

“You can say to anyone, ‘Oh, legally I don’t have to respond to that,’ and they say, ‘Don’t worry.'”

“And then they’ll get you for every little infraction. You’ll go when they want you to go, one way or another. So don’t abuse the system.”

Kyle’s co-host Jackie O. Henderson, 49, agreed with Kyle’s warning, adding that being approached outside of work hours is a modern-day problem.

“I have a feeling that could happen,” Jackie said.

“I think sometimes it’s because working hours are endless these days. Before email and cell phones, you were never bothered outside of work hours.”

Kyle replied, “And nothing was done. It was the late ’70s. The world was turning very slowly then.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded to critics of the changes, pointing out that people do not get paid 24 hours a day and therefore should not work 24 hours a day.

“It’s also a mental health issue, quite frankly, that people can’t disconnect from their work and still connect with their families and their lives,” he told ABC News.