Last week, Dublin Chamber in principle welcomed the passing of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill as the latest development to address the legislative lacuna surrounding the area of remote working for Dublin’s business community but remains cautious regarding its Code of Practice.

Aebhric McGibney, Director of Public and International Affairs at Dublin Chamber said: “Dublin Chamber’s Q4 2022 Business Outlook Survey reported that three in four firms saw the integration of the right to request remote work into the Work Life Balance Bill as a positive development. However, concerns remain regarding the practical application of this right to request, reportedly to be addressed by the ensuing Code of Practice. It is critical that the business community be consulted with during its design process, particularly as in the absence of legislation regulating this topic over the past number of years, many firms have invested money, time, and resources in setting up models and systems governing remote working practices as best suited to their company.”

Mr. McGibney continued “The WRC must be considerate of these company investments when designing the Code of Practice and ensure that it is flexible enough to complement the systems already in place in individual companies. No business should be at a disadvantage through operating this legislation, particularly as the legislation with regard to remote working aims to achieve a positive balance between the needs of employees and operational needs of employers. Additionally, this legislation and the Code of Practice should be subject to review one year from commencement to ensure that it remains contemporaneous with evolving employer and employee needs.”

Check out Dublin Chamber’s past submissions on this topic and others here.