Leo Varadkar expected to issue new, more…

Leo Varadkar expected to issue new, more worker-friendly remote working guidelines

Leo Varadkar is expected to issue new remote working guidelines that will be more friendly to workers than previously leaked proposals.

The Enterprise Minister was criticised for initially weighing the planned legislation more in favour of employers.

There were 13 grounds that an employer could cite in refusing a request to work from home, including such broad criteria as ’burden of costs’ and ‘confidentiality concerns.’

But the Irish Mirror has confirmed that the new tweaked guidelines will row back and make the guidelines more balanced ahead of the formal publication of the Bill.

It is expected that the 13 grounds will be reduced and blunted.

These will include a shorter timeframe for when an employee can apply to the WRC (Workplace Relations Commission) for help, down from 26 weeks to somewhere closer to 12.

A source close to Mr Varadkar said that “the intent in recent weeks and months has been to try and get workers and employers to agree on these new guidelines - and that’s a tall order.”

It is expected that the revised recommendations will be published very shortly, “within two to three weeks,” according to a source.

However, members of the opposition want the Government to go further, including Labour’s employment rights spokeswoman, Marie Sherlock.

The Senator wants working from home to be a legal right.

She said: “The legislation as proposed demands substantial changes.

“It has always been obvious that workers would need a proper right to appeal refusals from employers.

“The legislation put forward to by Government in January represented an effective right to refuse requests for remote working.

“It’s vital that this is rectified and it’s welcome to see this realisation dawn on Government.

“Employees who can work from home must have a legal right to do so.

“We saw the impact this had on our economy during the pandemic, bringing a diverse group of people into the workforce that were previously excluded.”

A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said: “The Tánaiste and the Department of Enterprise are in the process of drafting ground-breaking legislation to put the right to request remote working on a statutory footing.

“The focus throughout has been to reconcile the differing priorities of employers and employees and produce an effective piece of legislation that allows the experiences of the Covid pandemic to be used to everyone’s benefit.

“The Tanaiste has always maintained that the provisions will be strengthened.

“We have held extensive public consultations and the issue was scrutinised by the Oireachtas Enterprise Committee.