Right to Request Remote Working: review of legislation operation – Public consultation
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is seeking the views of stakeholders and interested parties on the operation of the right to request remote working provisions of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.
This consultation provides an opportunity to hear directly from interested parties and obtain views on how the legislation is operating in practice.
Background
The right to request a remote working arrangement came into force for all employees on 6 March 2024 and introduced a legislative framework that reflects the evolving nature of work in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. This right is provided for within Part 3 of the Work Life Balance Act.
The legislation does not provide a direct right to work remotely. It provides a right to request remote working and sets out requirements including how a request must be made, considerations both the employer and employee must take into account, timelines and referrals to the Workplace Relations Commission.
The legislation is accompanied by a Workplace Relations Commission Code of Practice. This code was developed in consultation with the social partners and provides practical guidance to both employers and employees to support compliance with the legislation.
As required by Section 29 of the Act, a legislative review of the operation of the remote working provisions must be carried out not earlier than one year and not later than two years following the commencement of the legislation. As part of this review, the department has launched a public consultation to gather views on the effectiveness of the legislation in providing the new entitlements, to evaluate the clarity of the legislation and to identify any unintended consequences of the legislation.
Further information on the Work Life Balance Act and the Code of Practice
- Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023
- Code of Practice for Employers and Employees (PDF, 693KB)
Information on the consultation process
How to make a submission – employees
Submissions for employees should be completed by using the following form:
Public consultation on the right to request remote work legislation – employees form
How to make a submission – employers and all other interested parties
Submissions for employers and all other interested parties should be completed by using the following form:
Public consultation on the right to request remote work legislation – all other respondents form
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Closing date
Completed questionnaires are requested no later than 3pm on Tuesday, 9 December 2025.
Any questions or further information should be sent to employmentrights@enterprise.gov.ie with ‘Remote Work Public Consultation’ included in the subject line.
