Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 February 2022
81. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the implementation of the required legislation for the national remote working strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6997/22]
View answerOn 25 January the Government approved the drafting of the Right to Request Remote Working Bill 2022. Pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment commenced this week.
This law will provide a legal framework around which requesting, approving or refusing a request for remote work can be based. It will provide legal clarity to employers on their obligations for dealing with such requests.
An employer may, having given the application due consideration, decline a request for remote working stating the business grounds for so doing. The intention is that where a request is declined, it must be clear to the employee the reason it has been declined. The grounds included are drawn from the submissions received within the public consultation and also reflect the international review of similar legislation. The basic premise is that provided the work can be done and services are not diminished, the employer should say yes. Without listing reasons for refusal, an employer could dismiss requests out of hand. The new law is interfering in the relationship between employee and employer and it has to strike a balance that is legally sound.
The Department is currently looking further at the legal issues related to strengthening the redress provisions and a right of appeal, and is taking legal advice on the matter.
