As a result of the COVID lockdown, many employees were required to work remotely, and some are continuing this arrangement. 

  • Working remotely comes with some important considerations, particularly in terms of health and safety. If you are an employer, you should be:
  • Meeting your obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, and your duty to ensure employee safety, so far as is reasonably practicable
  • Ensuring your employees are taking adequate rest and meal breaks (as if they were in the workplace) in order to meet your obligations under the Employment Relations Act 2000
  • Making sure your employees continue to report any injuries, accidents or near-misses that take place in their remote working space (these could be considered a work-related injury), and
  • Ensuring your employees' remote working set-up is ergonomically-sound and free from any hazards.
These obligations are best set out in your organisation's health and safety policy and/or a remote working policy for your employees to refer to. It is important these obligations are not just followed in the usual place of work, but also when your employees are working remotely.