Labor's work from home laws will come into effect on 1 September.
Under the laws, Victorians who can work from home will have the legal right to do so two days a week.
To make it happen, the Allan Labor Government will introduce legislation to the Victorian Parliament in July.
The new right to work from home will be enshrined in the Equal Opportunity Act.
This is the next major update into the design of Labor's world-first work from home laws.
It follows yesterday's update that work from home rights will apply regardless of the size of your workplace.
The law will come into effect from 1 September 2026.
It will have a delayed commencement of 1 July 2027 for workplaces with fewer than 15 employees, to allow them more time to get their HR policies and procedures in order.
The law will provide a clear pathway for dispute resolution and enforcement.
Disputes will go to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) for conciliation.
If conciliation fails, the dispute will be heard at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Work from home works for families:
- More than a third of workers - including 60 per cent of professionals - regularly work from home
- It saves families money, giving Australians back on average $110 a week or $5,308 every year
- It cuts congestion. Victorians are now saving more than three hours a week on average commuting
- It gets more people working. Workforce participation is now 4.4 per cent higher than before the pandemic.
But it's all at risk.
Every day, unions hear from workers denied reasonable work-from-home requests.
Across the country, Liberals are planning to end remote work and force people back to the office.
In Victoria, work from home will be just another thing that Jess Wilson and the Liberals will cut.
That's why we'll protect it in law.
As stated by Premier Jacinta Allan
"Work from home works for families, because it saves time and money and it gets more parents working."
"Only Labor has new solutions to make life easier, safer and more affordable."
"That's why we will protect work from home in law from 1 September."
As stated by Minister for Industrial Relations Jaclyn Symes
"Enshrining this right in law means no boss or Liberal can take it away from our workers."
"Work from home is good for families, good for productivity and good for the economy."
