The Allan Labor Government will make working from home a right - because it works for families.
Premier Jacinta Allan today announced the Labor Government will introduce legislation to protect the ability of an employee to work from home.
Under this proposed law, if you can reasonably do your job from home, you will have the right to do so for at least two days a week - public sector or private sector.
Working from home works for families and it's good for the economy.
It's popular. Flexible working arrangements are utilised by workers and businesses alike, with more than a third of Australian workers - including 60 per cent of professionals - regularly working from home.
It saves families money. It saves Australians on average $110 a week or $5,308 every year. That's more money back in the pockets of hardworking Victorians at a time when every dollar makes a difference.
It cuts congestion. Victorians are now spending less time commuting, saving more than three hours in their week on average. That's three fewer hours sitting in traffic and three more hours back in your life.
It gets more people working. Work from home supports women with children, carers and people with a disability to work. Thanks to work from home, workforce participation is 4.4 per cent higher than before the pandemic.
It's good for business. Those who work from home are working nearly 20 per cent more hours than those who are working in the office full time.
Work from home has changed millions of lives. While not everyone can work from home, everyone can still benefit.
But it's all at risk.
Day after day, unions are being contacted by workers who have been denied reasonable requests to work from home.
And across the country, Liberals are drawing up plans to abolish work-from-home and force workers back to the office and back to the past.
That's why the Allan Labor Government is acting.
Enshrining work from home in law means this life-changing practice isn't something you or your loved ones have to politely ask for.
It's a right you'll be entitled to.
To develop these laws, the Government will undertake consultation led by the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
We will consider the types of businesses and the size of businesses that that will be covered by this scheme, as well as the definition of remote work and who is able to do it.
Consultation will focus on ensuring the law reflects the real-world experience of working from home: what's fair, what's practical, and what's already working in many workplaces today.
This consultation process won't determine whether working from home should be a right. We're already clear on that: it should be. We just need the appropriate laws to reflect it.
Following consultation, the Labor Government will introduce and pass this legislation next year, with several legislative options available.
As stated by Premier Jacinta Allan
"Work from home works for families and it's good for the economy."
"Not everyone can work from home, but everyone can benefit."
"If you can do your job from home, we'll make it your right - because we're on your side."
As stated by Minister for Industrial Relations Jaclyn Symes
"Work from home saves families money, means more people are in the workforce - and it even cuts congestion."
"More than a third of Australians are working from home regularly, including more than 60 per cent of professionals - and the data says they are more productive, benefiting businesses and the economy."
As stated by Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny
"Many of Australia's largest businesses have adopted work from home, but we can't go backwards."
"Liberals hate work from home and they dream of abolishing it. That's why we'll protect in law."
