Labour calls on government to strengthen remote work laws

Labour’s workers’ rights spokesperson Senator Nessa Cosgrove said that the government must strengthen the right to request remote and flexible work as it opens a public consultation on the operation of the legislation.

Speaking today following the announcement of the consultation, Senator Cosgrove said the review is overdue and must put workers at the centre. The consultation is required by law and comes as new figures show sixty complaints have been made to the WRC since the right was introduced in March 2024. Labour is calling on the government to use this review to deliver real rights for workers and stop employers turning back the clock.

Senator Cosgrove said:

“We know flexible work benefits everyone. It improves well-being and work life balance. It cuts congestion and lowers emissions because people are not forced into daily long commutes. It helps people choose where they live which reduces pressure on housing in cities and spreads economic opportunity more evenly. We hear of local businesses in places like my own area of Sligo and Leitrim benefiting from people working and spending time in their own communities rather than being tied to long office commutes. This is common sense policy making that supports society as a whole.

“Since the right to request remote work was introduced in March 2024, the WRC has received sixty complaints. Of these, thirty six have been closed. So far just one complaint has been upheld. Eleven have been rejected, five were resolved through mediation and nineteen were withdrawn. The remaining twenty four complaints are still awaiting a hearing or a decision by an Adjudication Officer. These numbers speak for themselves. Workers are trying to use the law but the system is not delivering the level of fairness or clarity that people were promised.

“Under the current legislation, a review of the remote working provisions must take place not earlier than one year and not later than two years after they were introduced. That moment has arrived. For thousands of people, flexible and remote work has been life changing. It is not a luxury. It is a necessity for working parents, carers, those facing long commutes and people priced out of major urban centres. Flexible work has supported women to stay in the workforce and opened doors for people right across the country. A right to flexible work is a right to a more equal and modern economy.

“The world of work has changed but companies like TikTok that are issuing unilateral demands for a full return to the office are stuck in the past. Workers have been clear about what they want. A Red C survey last year showed a strong majority of workers want the option of flexible work. Labour has been ahead of this issue from the start. We published legislation in 2022 to give people a real and meaningful right to flexible and remote work because it is what workers need.

“Income tax returns and rising employment confirm that flexible work has not harmed business. Employer groups are not reporting closures. There is no evidence of economic damage. What we want is fair rules, good conditions and a system that reflects how people live now.”

“The government must use this review to strengthen the law, guarantee fairness for workers and deliver a genuine right to flexible and remote work. This is the moment to put workers first. They government should take it,” she said.