Work From Home Becoming Law in Victoria
The Victorian Government has announced it will introduce legislation in July 2026 to establish a legal right for eligible employees to work from home two days per week, where the role allows it.
The proposed legislation will amend the Equal Opportunity Act.
If passed, the new right will apply from:
• 1 September 2026 for workplaces with 15 or more employees
• 1 July 2027 for small businesses, allowing additional time to update policies and processes
This announcement represents a significant shift in moving elements of work-from-home arrangements from workplace policy into legislation.
Dispute resolution and enforcement
Disputes will first go to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) for conciliation. If unresolved, matters may proceed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Practical Questions for Organisations
How to maintain employee engagement and cultural intent when people’s face-to-face interaction is limited
How these new work-from-home rights interact with existing enterprise agreements and policies
Development of processes to assess & respond to requests
How issues are managed when requests are refused
The key focus now shifts to designing operating models that balance this flexibility with your required productivity and organisational effectiveness outcomes.
exceeds the effort required to be prepared and ahead of the game.
The cost of management time, operational disruption, reliance on external advisors, and
reputational impact all add up. What may appear cheaper in the short term becomes
significantly more expensive over time.
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