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Working from home: is that really allowed?

Surviving the heat at work; it's a recurring theme. Ideally, you would simply leave your work for what it is with these temperatures and sit on the beach. But the work has to be done anyway and you don't have many days off. Then get on with it. If you find the heat at your workplace unbearable, can you actually just decide to work from home? Or in another place? First of all, it really matters what kind of work you do. If you have a job in healthcare, construction or if you work with certain equipment, then working elsewhere will of course be a difficult story. But if you have work that you can do from anywhere, it is often up to you and your employer to make mutual agreements about working from home.   Your employment contract may contain agreements about work locations and working from home. In principle, what it says there is binding and you have to stick to what you and your employer have agreed upon. But if the work...
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Working from home: is that really allowed?

Surviving the heat at work; it's a recurring theme. Ideally, you would simply leave your work for what it is with these temperatures and sit on the beach. But the work has to be done anyway and you don't have many days off. Then get on with it. If you find the heat at your workplace unbearable, can you actually just decide to work from home? Or in another place?

First of all, it really matters what kind of work you do. If you have a job in healthcare, construction or if you work with certain equipment, then working elsewhere will of course be a difficult story. But if you have work that you can do from anywhere, it is often up to you and your employer to make mutual agreements about working from home.
 
Your employment contract may contain agreements about work locations and working from home. In principle, what it says there is binding and you have to stick to what you and your employer have agreed upon. But if the work and the circumstances allow it, you can always discuss it with your boss. For example, if the temperature in the office is anything but pleasant.

Working from home: is that really allowed


Objection from the boss? Discuss the benefits

Nevertheless, your boss may have objections, for example because he has the feeling that he has no idea what you are doing if you are not physically present. Perhaps you can persuade him or her with the following arguments. Working from home can have many advantages:

* It saves you travel time and you can therefore spend more time on work
* You are not distracted by colleagues and can therefore concentrate better
* The is easier to combine work with private life
* You call in sick less quickly
* You can work more efficiently and productively

Several studies have endorsed these benefits. For example, Stanford University, commissioned by a large Chinese company, looked at how working from home affected productivity. This showed that the output of the homeworkers increased by 13 percent; it even earned $2,000 per employee.

Small side note: it is of course person-dependent whether working from home works. Not every participant in the Stanford University study was equally enthusiastic, because it caused extra distractions for these people due to temptations from home. This is also reflected in other studies. But the freedom to make the choice yourself has a positive influence in any case.

Working from home: this is how it is regulated by law

Although it is more common to make mutual agreements with your boss, the Flexible Working Act also says something about working from home. By law, you must (or may) submit an official request to do so. Such a request is subject to the following conditions:

* You must submit it in writing and officially at least two months in advance.
* You must have been employed by your employer for at least six months.
* The organization you work for must have more than ten employees.

Your employer must consider your request, but can refuse it if he has good reasons to do so. For example, if it is not safe or healthy to do your work at home or if it messes up the schedules.

When it comes to the hours you work, it is less easy for your employer to refuse your request. This is only allowed if there is a 'weighty business interest'. This can be the case, for example, if productivity is at stake or if there are problems with staffing. The above conditions regarding the time you are employed and the size of the organization also apply to this.

Rules about working in the heat

If you can't avoid working in the heat at your official workplace, are there no limits to what is actually responsible or reasonable? You may only stop working if the climate at work poses an immediate threat to your health. And that is hardly ever the case in the Netherlands. However, your boss must take measures
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