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  • Page 1 — DGB demands right to work from home
  • Page 2 — employers also want more flexibility
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    The world of work is becoming more and more flexible, yet many employers still insist on presence, i.e. permanent presence in office. On day of work on 1 May, German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) refore called for a legal claim to Home Office. Annelie Buntenbach, member of DGB board, told newspapers of Funk Media Group that every employee should be entitled to work from Home and mobile – at least in those jobs where this is basically possible.

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    The demand on part of union is new – so far trade unions have tended to behave cautiously in expansion of Home Office regulations. They fear that employers could convert more jobs into home offices to save costs. For as beautiful as work may sound from home, from trade unions ‘ point of view, employees often work in precarious conditions: little connection to company, hardly anyone who monitors wher protection regulations are complied with, and a strong demarcation of Work and private life. That is why Buntenbach also called for strict guidelines to be put in place in order to prevent increasing delimitation of working time. Home Office must “remain voluntary” in any case. SAY: Where it is possible, workers should be able to rely on ir legal entitlement – but y must not be obliged to do so by employer.

    Mobile working time is also to be recorded

    Buntenbach explained her thrust with desire of many dependent employees to be able to work more flexibly in order to better reconcile family and career. The Union also welcomed fact that, in coalition agreement, Union and SPD agreed to create a new legal framework for so-called mobile work. Mobile working time must in any case be recorded and remunerated.

    This is, in fact, often not case today: Many employers also want more flexibility, especially in terms of working time. This is why many companies allow ir employees to home Office – usually in connection with a working time of trust. This means that working time is not officially recorded and overtime is usually considered to be compensated by salary. Often this form of free and flexible working means that employees work more than contractually agreed working time. After all, y do not want to abuse trust of ir employers.

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    For DGB labour market expert It is refore imperative that mobile work always has to be accompanied by a clear working time regulation. Workers would have to have a right to end work, “so that re will be a closing day for mobile work too”.