Right to Request Remote Work commences and WRC publishes Code of Practice

Earlier this month, advancements were seen in the area of remote working with the commencement of the right to request remote work and the WRC’s publication of the Code of Practice. The code offers guidelines for both employers and employees to consider when making and reviewing applications for remote working. 

Initial feedback from Dublin Chamber members on the Code of Practice (COP) suggests it is an aspirational document that fails to meaningfully engage with the practical realities faced by employers of all sizes across various sectors. Elements of the COP that have given significant cause for concern include a heightened responsibility for the health and safety of employees when working from home, the urgent need for clarification around sections written with negligible detail on eligibility requirements, setting limits on geographic jurisdictions and the workings of application precedents, alongside the administrative burden associated with navigating the application and termination processes while updating internal processes with limited resources, amongst other issues. 

Dublin Chamber is developing its formal response to the Code of Practice and asks members to reach out with any feedback or observations to policy@dublinchamber.ie. To review Dublin Chamber’s recommendations to the WRC, submitted at the time of drafting the Code of Practice, please see here.