Is working at home mandatory?
In recent years, working at home has become a significant topic of conversation, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many employees have switched to remote work, and this has raised the question: is working from home mandatory?
Agreement between employer and employee
Primarily, the obligation to work at home depends on the agreement between the employer and the employee. The employment contract defines the workplace, and if there is no mention of remote work, the employer cannot unilaterally order the employee to work at home. On the other hand, if the employment contract mentions the possibility of remote work, the employer can require working at home in certain situations.
Legislation and official instructions
There is no special law in Finland that obliges employees to work at home. However, in exceptional situations, such as during a pandemic, the authorities can issue recommendations or orders that affect working arrangements. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Finnish government strongly recommended remote work, which led many companies to switch to a remote work model.
Nature of work and practical arrangements
Not all jobs are suitable for remote work. For example, production work, health care and other jobs that require physical presence cannot be easily moved home. In these cases, working at home is not possible, and the employer must arrange the necessary safety and hygiene measures at the workplace.
Employee rights and obligations
The employee has the right to refuse to work at home if it is not in accordance with the employment contract or if there are no appropriate conditions for working at home. On the other hand, the employee must follow the employer’s instructions and regulations if they are based on legislation or official instructions.
Summary
Working at home is not automatically mandatory, but it depends on several factors, such as the employment contract, the nature of the work and official instructions. The employer and the employee must jointly agree on remote work arrangements, and both parties must comply with legislation and official instructions.
More information on the subject can be found, for example, from the following sources:
