Public Consultation launched on Remote Working Guidelines
The Department of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation is launching a public consultation on updated guidelines for remote working.
It follows the publication by the Department of guidance for employers and employees working remotely in the context of COVID-19.
The Department’s report on Remote Work in Ireland (published at the end of 2019) looked at the prevalence and types of remote working solutions here, the attitudes towards them, and the factors that influenced employees and employers when considering remote working.
The report identified a need for national guidance on remote working, particularly on the issues of equality; health and safety; employment rights and the right to disconnect; data protection, and training.
Much has changed since the publication of this report. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, those who can work from home have been encouraged to do so.
This has resulted in unprecedented numbers of people remote working, many for the first time.
The Department has published Guidance for Working Remotely during COVID-19 online, and now wants to hear from employers and employees on how this can be built upon.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, said:
“Covid-19 disrupted our working lives and threw many of us into working from home or remotely for the very first time. We learned quickly what was possible by using modern technology. It’s been an accelerator of change that was coming and while we all want to be free to return to our workplaces, we don’t want to go back to things exactly as they were”.
Mr Varadkar went on to explain that if carried out efficiently, the benefits of workers staying at home will be beneficial in a number of ways.
“The Government wants remote working and home working to become part of the new normal. If done right, the benefits will be huge; reduced business costs, better work-life balance especially for parents, less traffic, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and time saved on the commute”.
He continued by outlining how this change for workers will show real improvements for rural Ireland.
“There are also real benefits for rural Ireland with many more people able to work for big companies and public bodies from home or from remote working hubs,” he said. “This will mean an increased local spend. And, of course, it’s not an either-or. For some, a mix of working remotely and from their base will become the new way of doing things”.
His statement concluded with him asking employers and employees to provide their opinions on how best they can adapt to the change. “I encourage employers and employees alike to engage with this consultation and make their views known on the guidance they need to fully embrace remote work.”
Written submissions can be made to [email protected]
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