Crack down on employers who refuse to let employees work from home

Employers who refuse to let workers work from home must be punished says the employment minister, who also holds the economy portfolio in the Flemish government.  Figures for September and October show a mere quarter of all white-collar workers working from home.  The figure is lower than that during the first lockdown that started in March. 

Ms Crevits hopes the figures pick up this month after the authorities made home-working (aka telework) mandatory across Belgium. “Employers must follow the rules” says the employment minister.  “If they flout the rules, the inspection must be alerted and checks must follow.  This is a health emergency.  I don’t like homeworking being made obligatory, but it’s necessary.  Infections originate on the work floor and if you can work from home that is what you must do.  It’s very important that employers don’t abuse these regulations”.