Remote Working could soon become a reality for more working parents in Ireland

Remote working could now become a reality for more parents in Ireland. The European Parliament recently approved a proposal for an EU Directive on work-life balance. An element of the directive extends the right to flexible working arrangements, such as remote working for employees returning from parental leave.

Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune said: “A major element in this new directive from the European Parliament is the right for parents to request flexible working arrangements, such as remote working. Many companies in Ireland already offer employees the option of remote working but this directive goes further to ensure that employees have the right to specifically request it.

“Each summer as schools close, parents come under pressure to seek childcare arrangements. These new arrangements will really help parents looking for some flexibility when it comes to working arrangements. We need to keep parents in the workforce and it is great to see so many developments in legislation to create a more family-friendly work culture in Ireland.”

Flexible working arrangements to include remote working

In Ireland, employees returning to work after parental leave may seek a change in their work hours but an employer can refuse this request. This new proposal from the European Parliament will extend the scope of flexible working arrangements which can be requested, by adding the option to request remote working.

MEP Clune said: “This is a great step towards a better work-life balance for all working parents and towards improving the lives of families across all EU Member States. The aim of this proposal is to improve access to work-life balance arrangements. The workplace can be an exciting and exhilarating place. However, it can also be a challenging place. What many people will struggle with is getting their work/life balance right. We have done a lot of work at the European Parliament on the promotion of a good work/life balance.”