Commission wants to relax conditions for teleworking
Published: Tuesday, Aug 20th 2024, 18:50
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The conditions for teleworking are to be relaxed. The National Council's Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxation (WAK-N) has approved a draft for consultation by 18 votes to 7.
The bill implements a parliamentary initiative by Councillor of States Thierry Burkart (FDP/AG). It was submitted back in 2016, when Burkart was still a member of the National Council.
In view of the current reality in the world of work, the majority of the Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxation (WAK-N) considered it essential to make employment law more flexible, as the parliamentary services announced on Tuesday. The bill aims to regulate not only the area of working from home, but teleworking in general.
However, a minority of the Commission warned against a deterioration in working conditions and health protection, which could also result in high costs for the economy.
The Syndicom trade union also sharply criticized the initiative in a press release and warned of an increased workload and an erosion of protection mechanisms. Possible countermeasures, including a referendum, are being examined, the Syndicom statement added.
Personalization of working hours
In particular, the draft provides for the duration of the period in which the daily working time is to be performed to be extended from 14 to 17 hours and the minimum rest period to be reduced from 11 to 9 hours if an ad hoc agreement is concluded. In addition, occasional Sunday work is to be permitted if the employee works on their own initiative. A minority of the Commission rejected this provision.
In the Commission's view, the draft would above all give employees the opportunity to organize their working hours individually. This would offer a number of advantages, particularly with regard to work-life balance and childcare.
According to its own statements, the Commission takes the concerns regarding health protection seriously and has therefore included the right to be unavailable in the draft, among other things.
It also submitted a variant of the corresponding amendments to the Code of Obligations for consultation. In its view, the planned amendments would be implemented consistently and a larger number of employees would be included.
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