Overview

Homeworking is where staff work away from the workplace, using telecommunication technologies to keep in touch with their employer, colleagues or customers. Not all roles are suited to homeworking. Homeworking staff can:

• Work full-time, part-time or on a casual basis from home;
• Permanently work from home or divide their working time between home and your workplace; or
• Be mobile workers who use a variety of locations, including their homes, your workplace and any place where their telecommunications equipment can work.

Legal responsibilities

The concepts of having 'family friendly' policies, 'flexible working' and having a 'work-life balance' frequently require employers to consider the potential for homeworking.

Employees who have worked continuously for their employer for at least 26 weeks have a legal right to apply to their employer to work flexibly (if they didn't apply within the past 12 months). This includes applying for homeworking. You have an obligation to consider their application.

You also must consider making reasonable adjustments for staff with disabilities, which may mean temporary or permanent homeworking.

The following articles consider the issues you need to think about when an employee wishes to work from home.