make your free working from home policy
what we'll cover
what is a working from home policy?
when should i use a working from home policy?
use this working from home policy:
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if your business has employees
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when your employees may request to work from home on a regular or an ad-hoc basis
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when you want to set out guidance for employees in relation to working from home
sample working from home policy
the terms in your document will update based on the information you provide
about working from home policies
learn more about making your working from home policy
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how to make a working from home policy
making your working from home policy online is simple. just answer a few questions and 2022世界杯32强抽签时间 will build your document for you. when you have all of the information about your business’ approach to working from home prepared in advance, creating your document is a quick and easy process.
you’ll need the following information:
the employer
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what is the employer’s name (ie the business’ name)?
working from home requests
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can employees request to work from home on a regular basis? if so:
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how much notice do they need to give when requesting to work from home regularly?
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within what time period will the employer respond to applications to regularly work from home?
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can employees request to work from home on an ad-hoc basis? if so:
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how much notice do they need to give when requesting ad-hoc working from home: 1, 2 or 3 days?
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is there a maximum number of ad-hoc working from home days employees may take each month?
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do employees have to wait until their probation period has ended before they can request home working?
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if an employee is unhappy with the outcome of a request, how can they appeal it: in line with your grievance policy or procedure, or with a specific person?
arrangements and guidelines for working from home
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do employees have to work (your workplace’s/their) normal hours when working from home?
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if not, during which core hours must they be working?
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does the employer have a health and safety policy, data protection policy, communications and equipment policy, and/or a flexible working policy in place?
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will the employer provide equipment and materials for the homeworker?
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will employees be reimbursed for work-related telephone and internet costs while working from home?
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how about other work-related costs incurred while working from home? if so, what limit is set on these expense claims?
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if employees working from home must pay additional insurance premiums, will the employer cover these?
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do employees working from home need to have public liability insurance? if so, how much does this need to cover?
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if the employer wants to end a working from home arrangement, how much notice must they give the employee?
will a working from home arrangement end immediately if an employee receives a verbal warning (eg for misconduct)? a written warning? an unsatisfactory appraisal?
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common terms in a working from home policy
working from home policies set out how a business handles working from home arrangements. to do this, this policy template includes sections headed:
statement and purpose of policy
the policy starts by identifying the business subject to its provisions. it then sets out the reasons why the business is creating the policy and highlights its commitment to supporting working from home arrangements either on a regular basis, an ad-hoc basis, or both. it’s also noted that the employer may change this policy at any time.
who does this policy cover?
this section sets out who the policy applies to. for example, all staff including volunteers and casual staff.
requests to work from home
this section sets out how working from home requests may be made. for example, it covers:
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when requests may be made
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what employees should demonstrate in order to work from home (eg effective workload management)
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when applications may be refused (eg if the employee requires in-person supervision)
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what written requests to work from home should cover, if employees can request to work from home on a regular basis
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how far in advance requests should be made
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how ad-hoc working from home requests should be made, if they’re permitted
response to working from home applications
this section deals with how the employer will handle working from home requests. it sets out timeframes for responses and the appeals process. it also specifies certain terms that will be included in any agreement made between the employer and an employee for working from home arrangements (eg that the employee should still attend the work premises when required for, for example, important meetings).
hours of work
the hours that employees are expected to work when working from home are set out here. if they’re not expected to work full regular hours, the core hours that they should work are specified. procedures for altering these arrangements are included.
communicating with your line manager
requirements related to employees’ responsibility to keep in contact with managers whilst working from home are set out here.
equipment and materials
this section explains whether the employer or their employees are responsible for providing any equipment that employees require to work from home. in either case, it explains the responsibilities relating to this. for example, if the employer provides equipment, they will still own it and the employee is responsible for any damage to it beyond normal wear and tear.
expenses
if the employer covers any employee expenses associated with home working (eg additional internet tariffs), this is specified here.
security
this section outlines employees’ responsibilities related to ensuring the safety of the employer’s information and data when working from home. for example, they must lock their computer when unattended and must abide by any relevant policies the employer has in place.
health and safety
this section primarily sets out things that employees should do when working from home, to protect their own health and safety and to help the employer abide by their health and safety duties. for example, employees should take breaks and abide by other preventative measures related to display screen equipment (dse), and should follow the employer’s health and safety instructions and policies.
insurance
this section explains that employees should check that their insurance cover will apply whilst they are working from home. further, it sets out whether the employer will cover any additional premiums and whether employees are required to have public liability insurance.
rental or mortgage arrangements
this section includes a statement that employees working from home understand that doing so may affect their lease or mortgage. this acknowledgement is intended to be included in any agreement an employee makes to work from home. responsibility for making any checks and arrangements relevant to this is also placed on employees.
termination of working from home arrangements
this section explains how working from home arrangements may be ended. for example, by the employer giving a specified period of notice. if there are any situations in which arrangements will be terminated immediately (eg if an employee receives an unsatisfactory appraisal), these will be noted here.
if you want your working from home policy to include further or more detailed provisions, you can edit your document. however, if you do this, you may want a lawyer to review the document for you (or to make the changes for you) to make sure that your modified working from home policy complies with all relevant laws and meets your specific needs. use 2022世界杯32强抽签时间 ’s ask a lawyer service for assistance.
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legal tips for employers
make sure you comply with health and safety laws when employees are working from home
employers are subject to serious and comprehensive health and safety obligations. most fundamentally, they must always take reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of their employees.
this obligation continues to apply to employees when they’re working from home, and additional risks associated with home working must be taken into account. for example, the risk of somebody being injured whilst alone, or the risks that working remotely and alone can pose to mental health.
to help your business comply with its obligations, make sure you have a health and safety policy in place, conduct necessary risk assessments, and ensure you’re aware of your other obligations. for more information, read health and safety and employer health and safety responsibilities for staff working from home. you should also consider making a lone working policy.
consider having other relevant policies in place
allowing working from home is only one of the ways that an employer can make their workplace forward-thinking, considerate and pragmatic. you could also create other workplace policies, for example:
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a flexible working policy - to explain how employees can request flexible working arrangements on a formal (ie statutory) basis or informally
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a working time directive opt out letter - to help workers work more hours across multiple jobs, if they desire
for information about more policies you may want to put in place as an employer, read hr policies and procedures.
understand when to seek advice from a lawyer
in some circumstances, it’s good practice to ask a lawyer for advice to ensure that you’re complying with the law and that you are well protected from risks. you should consider asking for advice if:
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this policy document doesn't meet your needs or cover what you want
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employees don't agree with the working from home policy
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working from home policy faqs
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what is included in a working from home policy?
this working from home policy template covers:
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regular and ad-hoc working from home
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how working from home arrangements can be requested
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employees’ hours of work
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equipment and materials
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expenses
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health and safety obligations
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ending working from home arrangements
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why do i need a working from home policy?
although there’s no legal requirement to have one, putting in place a working from home policy ensures that your employees are informed about their rights and obligations regarding working from home (either on a regular or an ad-hoc basis). it helps them to understand the processes for making working from home requests and how such requests will be handled.
having a working from home policy also shows that your business considers your employees’ specific and personal needs and that it is committed to offering staff a good work-life balance.
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what are regular and ad-hoc working from home?
regular working from home generally follows a set pattern, for example, where employees regularly work from home on certain days (eg tuesdays).
ad-hoc working from home is working from home where there is no set pattern and the days worked from home are irregular. this is typically used where working from home is necessary for an employee to, for example, oversee repair works or accept deliveries at their home.
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do employees have to work their regular hours while working from home?
employees that are working from home can either work their regular hours or they may work flexible hours. flexible hours can allow employees to adapt their work commitments to other responsibilities, for example, childcare. when employees work flexible hours, you should specify any core hours they should be working and available for.
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what are employers’ health and safety responsibilities when employees are working from home?
employers have the same health and safety responsibilities for home workers as for any other workers. this applies regardless of whether employees are working from home on a temporary, ad-hoc, or long-term basis.
the health and safety at work etc act 1974 requires an employer to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all of its employees, including employees who work from home.
for more information, read health and safety, employer health and safety responsibilities for staff working from home and employer first aid obligations for employees working from home. you should also make a health and safety policy if you do not already have one.
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what are some of an employer’s specific health and safety obligations?
employers should be aware of their specific obligations to employees, including health and safety obligations to home workers. most notably:
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encouraging employees to liaise with their line managers to ensure their workstations are appropriate and that they are working in a safe manner
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reminding employees to take responsibility for their own health and safety and that of anyone else in the home who is affected by their work
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requiring employees to notify their line managers if they feel any discomfort due to working from home (eg back pain), or if they feel that there are any work-related health and safety hazards. line managers should then be instructed to escalate matters if necessary, so that an appropriate party can look into what actions can be taken to resolve the issues
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informing employees of the steps they can take to achieve a comfortable posture while working from home on display screen equipment (dse)
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providing guidelines about safe working practices to help prevent accidents and injuries, including musculoskeletal injuries
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reminding employees to follow the usual reporting procedures, for example, for any work-related accidents that occur in their homes and reporting sickness
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do i need to provide my employees with equipment?
it may not be possible to provide everyone with the ideal equipment for working from home, although employers should provide equipment where this is required by employees with a disability. you should take each request on a case-by-case basis.
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do employees that are working from home need insurance?
employees who are working from home should be aware that this may affect their home and contents insurance. they should check with their home and contents insurance provider to ensure that the appropriate insurance coverage is in place.
where the type of homeworking carried out by the employee requires visitors to their house for purposes related to the business, you may consider asking them to take out public liability insurance. public liability insurance covers the costs of compensating members of the public for any death, injury, or damage to their property that occurs because of your or your employees’ negligence. while not compulsory, public liability cover protects the employee from loss or damage resulting from claims made by anyone who visits their home in connection with the business. it’s a good idea to check whether your business’ own public liability insurance covers home working situations too, so that you’re covered if the business is found to be responsible following these sorts of legal cases. for more information, read business insurance.
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