The legislation will be enshrined in the Equal Opportunity Act and will apply to all businesses regardless of size.
The law will come into effect on September 1; however, businesses with fewer than 15 employees will have a delayed commencement of July 1, 2027, to allow extra time to sort out HR policies and procedures.
State Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes said “enshrining this right in law means no boss or Liberal can take it away from our workers”.
Salvatore Pennisi owns AHA Accounting, a Shepparton-based business with 12 employees.
“I do think it has merit, but I don’t know that everyone needing to do it will be a good idea,” he said.
“Out of office, you have less distractions, and you can get more done.
“Small business will struggle; it places an extra burden on the senior person.
“The delay will help people adjust and adapt but the hardest thing to swallow is it’s not optional.”
Mr Pennisi has seen the benefits of working from home, but has concerns about how the legislation could impact the performance of new starters.
“It definitely depends on the employee’s maturity level,” he said.
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