Working from Home (Covid-19) Bill 2020

Public bill · Private Member · Introduced

Creates a legal “right to disconnect,” so employees can switch off from work emails, texts and other messages outside normal working hours, except in emergencies or other exceptional cases. It would also ease some home-working health and safety duties for temporary Covid-era remote work by requiring a suitable home workstation or a tax-free allowance to cover extra costs such as electricity and broadband. The aim is to protect work-life balance and make home-working rules more workable during the pandemic.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to provide employees working remotely with a right to switch off from out of working hours work-related electronic communications, to disapply subject to conditions certain provisions of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 in the case of certain employees working temporarily from home, and to provide for related matters.

Last updated 14 November 2024