Remote Workers In Spain To Be Protected By New Charter
Spain News
Published: 08 September 2020 12:12 CET
Updated: 08 September 2020 14:12 CET
Spain is rushing through new legislation to protect the rights of those who work from home.
Along with millions of people around the world, more and more Spanish workers have begun to work from home due to the impact of the Coronavirus.
With this in mind, the Spanish government has developed draft legislation that will secure the rights of employees who are classed as remote workers.
The new legislation which was proposed by the labour minister, Yolanda Diaz of the Podemos party, will allow remote workers to have the right to a set working day along with equal career development opportunities.
Employers would also be forced to pay out for home-office equipment such as computers, printers and other tech devices.
The draft legislation specifies that those who qualify will need to work from home for a minimum of one day per week to qualify as a remote worker.
It is thought that around one in three Spanish workers are currently working from home due to the pandemic.
The new draft agreement also states that remote working must be agreed between both employer and employee with workers also having the right to request a return to the office if their personal circumstances change.
Control of an employees attendance must also be controlled in a way that “does not compromise a workers dignity”, which would rule out the use of webcams and similar monitoring devices.
Speaking to the Telegraph, David a Spanish worker who wished to remain anonymous said,
"In an economic situation like today, the first reaction of any businessman is going to be to try and save money. But workers shouldn't have to use their own PCs, for example, because this is unfair and can create a gap between employees with better or worse equipment.
"There is very little culture of remote working in Spain. Up to now, companies and employees have believed there is a connection between face time and productivity.
"This has to be regulated properly, because with the levels of unemployment in Spain today, employers have all the power on their side." he said.
Source
https://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/spain-moves-to-protect-rights-of-staff-who-work-from-home-39512640.html
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/07/spanish-remote-workers-charter-make-companies-respect-hours/
