Dutch lawmakers propose to make work from home a legal right

The pandemic has fuelled a shift in attitudes about work, with many workers seeking to maintain some of the flexibility they’ve enjoyed over the last two years. — Dreamstime/TNS

Two Dutch lawmakers are proposing a legislation to establish work-from-home as a legal right, which would make the Netherlands one of the first countries to grant remote working flexibility by law.

The legislation will be introduced by Steven van Weyenberg, a member of pro-European D-66 Party, and Senna Maatoug, a lawmaker for the Green Party, Weyenberg told Bloomberg on Wednesday. The two will submit the proposal to parliament before the house enters summer recess on July 3.

“We have the green light for this new law thanks to the support we received from both employees and employers’ unions,” said Weyenberg. “We are very hopeful it will pass before the summer.”

The pandemic has fuelled a shift in attitudes about work, with many workers seeking to maintain some of the flexibility they’ve enjoyed over the last two years. But with companies seeking to respond to surging demand as the pandemic recedes, the topic is becoming an increasingly polarising issue.

Earlier this month, Tesla founder Elon Musk issued an ultimatum for staff at the company to return to the office – or leave. – Bloomberg