WRC Instructed to Update Code of Practice on Remote Work Requests

Minister for Small Business, Retail and Employment Alan Dillon TD, and the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke have published the statutory review of Ireland’s remote work request provisions under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.

The statutory review shows that, when used, the legislation is working effectively in practice, with 94% of Employee requests approved, either fully or in part. Organisations also report minimal administrative burden operating the system.

The key findings in the review of the legislation:

• 94% approval rate for remote working requests
• low administrative burden reported by Organisations across all sectors
• low use and awareness of the legislation particularly among those living in rural communities
• the legislation is functioning as intended, with no amendments being made at this time

Next steps

Following on from the review, Minister Dillon confirmed the following steps will be taken:

• A targeted National Information Campaign will begin this year to ensure Employees and Employers understand the right to request remote work and how the process operates.
• Minister Dillon will request the Workplace Relation Commission to revise and strengthen the Code of Practice to:
  • provide clearer templates and guidance for Employees applying for remote work
  • support Employers to give comprehensive and transparent reasons for decisions
  • clarify the timelines set out in the legislation
  • support more structured consultation between Employers and Employees when considering remote work options and promote use of the Workplace Relations Commission mediation services
• The Government will continue to support Remote Work:
  • high-speed broadband rollout to 1.1 million people
  • National Hub Network and National Hub Strategy
  • tax reliefs for working from home
  • ongoing research, including the forthcoming National Economic and Social Council analysis on remote and hybrid work

No legislative changes are proposed, as the review found that the legislation is operating effectively and proportionately.

We will monitor the progress of the WRC’s review of the Code of Practice and update on any further developments.