Ireland: Update on the Right to Request Remote Work

Under the Work-Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 (the “Act”), a right to request remote work was introduced, subject to the publication of a Code of Practice by the Workplace Relations Commission (the “WRC”).

The right to request remote work will be available to all employees once the provisions of the Act have commenced. However, such an arrangement does not have to be considered until the employee has six months of continuous service. Once a request has been made, an employer is obliged to consider the request and the needs of the employee, the needs of the employer, and the Code of Practice.

The WRC has yet to publish the Code of Practice regarding the right to request remote working. The Irish Government is now over a year past the deadline for fully transposing the Work-Life Balance Directive, which was on 2 August 2022.