Home office law is superfluous

Since many companies want to offer mobile working to their employees beyond the corona crisis, if it is operationally feasible, VDMA Executive Director Thilo Brodtmann considers a legal claim to a so-called home office to be super fluous. Commenting on the plans of Federal Minister of Labour Hubertus Heil, the VDMA General Manager explains: "The companies in the German mechanical and plant engineering sector have also had consistently good experience with mobile working during the corona crisis. Many have already announced that they want to offer mobile working even after the end of the Corona pandemic if it makes operational sense. A law guaranteeing employees a legal entitlement is therefore superfluous. It only raises hopes that cannot be fulfilled in every case. Moreover, the decision on the place of employment is an essential part of every employment contract and thus left to the individual employer and employee. The legislator should not intervene here by placing the employer under an unnecessary obligation to justify himself.

Source: VDMA                Photo: Shutterstock