LRD guides and handbook April 2021

Negotiating the new homeworking landscape - a guide for union reps

Chapter 1

Permanent homeworking

[ch 1: page 6]

• This is when an employee will spend 100% of their contracted hours either working at home or visiting sites from their home base.

• Home is their contracted work base.

• Branches should ensure this is confirmed by a variation to the employee’s contract of employment.

• Permanent homeworking works best for employees where the job is autonomous.

• This could be considered for any disabled members with mobility problems. If upon medical advice homeworking is suggested, this should be considered as a ‘reasonable adjustment’ under the Equality Act 2010.

• Requesting permanent homeworking is a formal request. Some organisations may have a form that has to be filled in and sent to management and HR for a written response. An organisation needs to show that it has considered the request under their policy and is upholding their duty to comply with it.

(See Chapter 10 for more information on making a formal request.)