Labour legislate for real right to flexible work
Labour legislate for real right to flexible work - The Labour Party
- Work Life Balance (Right to Remote Work) Bill 2026 gives workers an immediate right to work remotely
- Ends employers right to refuse requests for flexible and remote work
The Labour Party’s spokesperson on Enterprise George Lawlor TD has today published a bill to pave the way for an immediate and real right to flexible and remote work.
Currently, workers can only request that the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) consider the process by which employers refuse the request of employees for remote work. This Code of Practice was introduced in 2023.
Labour’s Work Life Balance (Right to Remote Work) Bill 2026 would give workers an immediate right to work remotely if their working situation allows, ending the carte blanche handed to employers by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil post pandemic.
Deputy Lawlor said:
“Workers need to have a guarantee around remote and flexible work. Employees who can work from home must have an immediate legal right to do so. The Work Life Balance (Right to Remote Work) Bill 2026 aims to build on the benefits that remote and flexible work has brought to the economy, rather than having people spending hours stuck in traffic for the sake of bums on seats in the office.
“In 2023, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil opted to legislate for a right for employers to refuse requests for flexible work. Labour’s bill seeks to reverse this and give workers certainty, clarity and a legal guarantee that if they can work remotely, they will be able to do so.
“As it stands, Adjudication Officers in the WRC are not empowered to adjudicate on whether a person can work from home, instead they can only check that an employer has ticked all the boxes while refusing the request. What Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have introduced is anti-worker and anti-progress.
“The positive impact that remote work had on our economy during the pandemic is undeniable, it reintroduced a diverse group of people into the workforce that were previously excluded, it kept businesses open and people at work.
“Ireland is one of the most productive countries in the world, and the right to work from home has increased participation in the workforce. In recent months, more and more employers appear to be demanding sweeping returns to the office, highlighting just how weak Ireland’s protections are when it comes to the right to work from home.
“Rather than turning the clocks back on the world of work, the Labour Party’s legislation seeks to expand the workforce, make it accessible to those who feel locked out through commuting or caring responsibilities, and give workers the opportunity to have a better quality of life. Our legislation would enshrine an immediate right to flexible work – not something that is seen as a perk or a reward for good behaviour.
“Anyone who works from home knows how positive an experience it can be: less time stuck on buses or on motorways, more family time and a better opportunity to live outside our cities. That’s good for quality of life, rural regeneration and local economies.
“Ireland should be proudly walking towards the potential of remote and flexible working options, not dragging our feet unnecessarily. Workers are ready – now Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to be brave enough to meet this opportunity.”
Link to the Explanatory Memo here: https://labour.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Work-Life-Balance-Right-to-Remote-Work-Bill-2026-Explanatory-Memo-2.docx
Link to the Full Bill here: https://labour.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Work-Life-Balance-Right-to-Remote-Work-Bill-2026.docx