Labor’s work from home laws will come into effect on 1 September.
Under the laws, Victorians who can work from home will have the legal right to do so two days a week.
To make it happen, the Allan Labor Government will introduce legislation to the Victorian Parliament in July.
The new right to work from home will be enshrined in the Equal Opportunity Act.
This is the next major update into the design of Labor’s world-first work from home laws.
It follows yesterday’s update that work from home rights will apply regardless of the size of your workplace.
The law will come into effect from 1 September 2026.
It will have a delayed commencement of 1 July 2027 for workplaces with fewer than 15 employees, to allow them more time to get their HR policies and procedures in order.
The law will provide a clear pathway for dispute resolution and enforcement.
Disputes will go to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) for conciliation.
If conciliation fails, the dispute will be heard at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Work from home works for families:
* More than a third of workers – including 60 per cent of professionals – regularly work from home
* It saves families money, giving Australians back on average $110 a week or $5,308 every year
* It cuts congestion. Victorians are now saving more than three hours a week on average commuting
* It gets more people working. Workforce participation is now 4.4 per cent higher than before the pandemic.
But it’s all at risk.
Every day, unions hear from workers denied reasonable work-from-home requests.
Across the country, Liberals are planning to end remote work and force people back to the office.
In Victoria, work from home will be just another thing that Jess Wilson and the Liberals will cut.
That’s why we’ll protect it in law.
**Quotes attributable to Premier Jacinta Allan**
*“Work from home works for families, because it saves time and money and it gets more parents working.”*
*“Only Labor has new solutions to make life easier, safer and more affordable.”*
*“That’s why we will protect work from home in law from 1 September.”*
**Quotes attributable to Minister for Industrial Relations Jaclyn Symes**
*“Enshrining this right in law means no boss or Liberal can take it away from our workers.”*
*“Work from home is good for families, good for productivity and good for the economy.”*
Weissritters on
All the ones that can do WFH probably already do to some degree. And those who don’t want to let their staff do it will simply find something in the laws to deny it.
Very little will probably change. Truly an election year policy.
[deleted] on
[deleted]
TMiguelT on
The current Facebook user/bot account’s argument against this seems to be “this won’t work for baristas, construction workers etc” which of course means they don’t understand the bill.
Nothing burger announcement designed for an election year.
ImInterestedInApathy on
I have already WFH two days a week since we returned to the office after COVID, but knowing this will be enshrined in law and I’ll get the same flexibility if I move employers is fantastic.
cocacola919 on
I wonder how it’ll work for part timers able to work from home, if they pro rata the days will they actually be worse off?
FegerRoderer on
Hopefully we won’t see places that are currently doing 3+ days from home consider this an opportunity to wind that back to 2
[deleted] on
[removed]
TDTimmy21 on
If you work from home you shouldnt be entitled to work cover during those hours
staticpls on
Truly one of the great issues of my lifetime
ratinthehat99 on
Next minute: taxes increasing to fund work from home insurance scheme!
Correct-Dig8426 on
This will result in bigger companies like banks etc moving corporate roles to other states. Melbourne already has the highest office vacancy rate in the country, currently at 18%, and something like this will only discourage companies from investing in the recovery of Melbourne’s CBD.
Jaybb3rw0cky on
Makes so much sense, and with the growing fuel crisis it’s only going to make it better for those who can stay home (and the flow on effect for those that can’t). Two days is great. Wish it was more but I’ll take what I can.
SuperDuperObviousAlt on
It’s bad policy. At the end of the day we are free to choose our employer for the total package that they put forward. If one employer wants me in the office 5 days a week but is willing to put a boatload of money on the table to get that, then they should be able to do so and we should both be free to agree to that.
Work from home is a great perk, but it should not be mandated.
BullPush on
When companies start offshoring their jobs that can be done much cheaper overseas, don’t cry about it, sure companies should be encouraged to let workers work from home if they can, put it into law is Fkn ridiculous
mofonz on
Bad policy, and made up facts.
If the government thinks it’s going to save $110 a week for people then they should be doing more to resolve commuting costs and put a maximum limit on, I don’t know – sandwiches? What the fuck are they getting that figure from. That’s $55 a day per household according to them. Nothing should change beyond commute – still putting kids to school/childcare if you WFH, and still packing lunch or whatever.
I would save nothing as my workplace already have this flexibility in place, but even if I was at 5 days going to 3 in the office – commuting by car or PT is going to save me max $25 and I am CBD compared to the vast majority who are not commuting by car nor working in the CBD.
The idea they should trying to enshrine this is nuts and it will work against Victorians. It is something that can, and should be negotiated between people and their workplace and indeed has been especially since Covid.
If I wanted to create a role now – once I weigh up payroll tax etc I would be far more likely to put that role in QLD or NSW than VIC if this was at all a deciding factor.
FlinflanFluddle4 on
Good. But should be 3 days. As someone who recently went from remote to 3 days. 3 days is its own nightmare
S0401 on
Wish I could benefit from this at all but cool for whoever wanted it
19 Comments
Article if you don’t want to click the link:
Labor’s work from home laws will come into effect on 1 September.
Under the laws, Victorians who can work from home will have the legal right to do so two days a week.
To make it happen, the Allan Labor Government will introduce legislation to the Victorian Parliament in July.
The new right to work from home will be enshrined in the Equal Opportunity Act.
This is the next major update into the design of Labor’s world-first work from home laws.
It follows yesterday’s update that work from home rights will apply regardless of the size of your workplace.
The law will come into effect from 1 September 2026.
It will have a delayed commencement of 1 July 2027 for workplaces with fewer than 15 employees, to allow them more time to get their HR policies and procedures in order.
The law will provide a clear pathway for dispute resolution and enforcement.
Disputes will go to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) for conciliation.
If conciliation fails, the dispute will be heard at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Work from home works for families:
* More than a third of workers – including 60 per cent of professionals – regularly work from home
* It saves families money, giving Australians back on average $110 a week or $5,308 every year
* It cuts congestion. Victorians are now saving more than three hours a week on average commuting
* It gets more people working. Workforce participation is now 4.4 per cent higher than before the pandemic.
But it’s all at risk.
Every day, unions hear from workers denied reasonable work-from-home requests.
Across the country, Liberals are planning to end remote work and force people back to the office.
In Victoria, work from home will be just another thing that Jess Wilson and the Liberals will cut.
That’s why we’ll protect it in law.
**Quotes attributable to Premier Jacinta Allan**
*“Work from home works for families, because it saves time and money and it gets more parents working.”*
*“Only Labor has new solutions to make life easier, safer and more affordable.”*
*“That’s why we will protect work from home in law from 1 September.”*
**Quotes attributable to Minister for Industrial Relations Jaclyn Symes**
*“Enshrining this right in law means no boss or Liberal can take it away from our workers.”*
*“Work from home is good for families, good for productivity and good for the economy.”*
All the ones that can do WFH probably already do to some degree. And those who don’t want to let their staff do it will simply find something in the laws to deny it.
Very little will probably change. Truly an election year policy.
[deleted]
The current Facebook user/bot account’s argument against this seems to be “this won’t work for baristas, construction workers etc” which of course means they don’t understand the bill.
If you’re interested, [the wording of the bill](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=s1475) says that employers can reject your request:
> on the ground that the requested change in working arrangements would make the performance of the inherent requirements of the employee’s employment duties impractical or impossible
Nothing burger announcement designed for an election year.
I have already WFH two days a week since we returned to the office after COVID, but knowing this will be enshrined in law and I’ll get the same flexibility if I move employers is fantastic.
I wonder how it’ll work for part timers able to work from home, if they pro rata the days will they actually be worse off?
Hopefully we won’t see places that are currently doing 3+ days from home consider this an opportunity to wind that back to 2
[removed]
If you work from home you shouldnt be entitled to work cover during those hours
Truly one of the great issues of my lifetime
Next minute: taxes increasing to fund work from home insurance scheme!
This will result in bigger companies like banks etc moving corporate roles to other states. Melbourne already has the highest office vacancy rate in the country, currently at 18%, and something like this will only discourage companies from investing in the recovery of Melbourne’s CBD.
Makes so much sense, and with the growing fuel crisis it’s only going to make it better for those who can stay home (and the flow on effect for those that can’t). Two days is great. Wish it was more but I’ll take what I can.
It’s bad policy. At the end of the day we are free to choose our employer for the total package that they put forward. If one employer wants me in the office 5 days a week but is willing to put a boatload of money on the table to get that, then they should be able to do so and we should both be free to agree to that.
Work from home is a great perk, but it should not be mandated.
When companies start offshoring their jobs that can be done much cheaper overseas, don’t cry about it, sure companies should be encouraged to let workers work from home if they can, put it into law is Fkn ridiculous
Bad policy, and made up facts.
If the government thinks it’s going to save $110 a week for people then they should be doing more to resolve commuting costs and put a maximum limit on, I don’t know – sandwiches? What the fuck are they getting that figure from. That’s $55 a day per household according to them. Nothing should change beyond commute – still putting kids to school/childcare if you WFH, and still packing lunch or whatever.
I would save nothing as my workplace already have this flexibility in place, but even if I was at 5 days going to 3 in the office – commuting by car or PT is going to save me max $25 and I am CBD compared to the vast majority who are not commuting by car nor working in the CBD.
The idea they should trying to enshrine this is nuts and it will work against Victorians. It is something that can, and should be negotiated between people and their workplace and indeed has been especially since Covid.
If I wanted to create a role now – once I weigh up payroll tax etc I would be far more likely to put that role in QLD or NSW than VIC if this was at all a deciding factor.
Good. But should be 3 days. As someone who recently went from remote to 3 days. 3 days is its own nightmare
Wish I could benefit from this at all but cool for whoever wanted it