Tipperary TD calls for workers to have the legal right to remote and hybrid working
A Tipperary TD has warned against forced return to office and has called for statutory protections in relation to the topic.
Remote, flexible and hybrid working are now a permanent feature of modern employment and must be based on a legal framework, a Tipperary TD has said.
Independent TD for Tipperary South Seamus Healy said recent moves by banks, IT companies and Government Departments to require staff to return to the office risk undermining the progress made in work-life balance in recent years.
The TD warned that remote and hybrid working arrangements must not be treated as temporary or as a pandemic-era exception.
According to Healy, a legal framework must be put in place covering, but not exclusive to, protection against forced return to the office.
Healy said that research by the Fórsa trade union, which found that 86 per cent of members expressed an interest in remote working, with 80 per cent preferring a hybrid model combining home and office work.
Healy argued that this clearly demonstrates the demand for flexible working arrangements across the workforce.
The Tipperary TD also called for legislation to outlaw blanket or arbitrary return-to-office policies and to guarantee a right to disconnect outside of working hours. These arrangements, he said, must not erode working conditions and must protect the right to disconnect outside of working hours
Fair access was also highlighted as a key issue. The TD said all suitable roles should have a legal right of access to remote or hybrid working, alongside a robust appeals process. This would allow workers to challenge refusals by employers and prevent decisions being based on vague or unjustified reasons.
The TD stressed that participation in remote or hybrid working must remain voluntary, with workers retaining the right to opt out. They added that employees working remotely must enjoy the same rights, protections and promotional opportunities as office-based staff.
Health and safety considerations were also raised by Healy, particularly in relation to home workstations and the mental health of workers. The TD said clear guidelines must be put in place and that carers and workers with specific health needs must have guaranteed access to flexible working arrangements.
He also pointed to the environmental benefits of remote and hybrid work, noting that reduced commuting would lower emissions, cut pollution and ease the financial burden on workers facing long daily car journeys, rising fuel costs and increased insurance expenses.
TD Seamus Healy concluded by calling for immediate action from government to establish a legal basis for remote and hybrid working, which he says reflect the realities of modern working life.