Proposed new laws would place limits on employers ordering staff to return to offices, according to reporting from multiple outlets. Under the proposals, a workplace can only require employees to work on-site if the employer meets a strict eligibility test. That test hinges on demonstrating that remote work is having a “significant” negative impact.
The coverage across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane describes the same core requirement: before directing employees back to the office, bosses would need to provide a substantiated case that working from home is causing substantial harm. The reports frame the rule as a safeguard for employees and a constraint on employers’ discretion, aiming to ensure any move away from remote work is justified by clear evidence.
The outlets also indicate that the proposals are still in development, with details tied to the “significant negative impact” threshold. Overall, the articles agree that the change would shift the burden of proof toward employers when they seek to overturn existing working-from-home arrangements.
