Implementing employment policies that encourage a healthier work-life balance for employees can go a long way in benefiting both staff and employers. With that in mind, Portugal’s government has recently approved a set of new labor laws that protect employees’ working conditions.
One of the rules will make it illegal for employers to contact workers outside of office hours, and risk a fine if they do so. On top of that, companies will also have to pay for expenses incurred by remote working — such as higher electricity and internet bills — which have skyrocketed as a result of the pandemic.
There’s also good news for parents of young children, which will now have the right to work from home without having to always notify their superiors, up until their kid turns eight years old. The recent remote working rules also intend to tackle loneliness, by requiring companies to organize face-to-face meetings at least bimonthly.
As reported by euronews, Portugal was the first country to adjust its remote working laws as a direct result of Covid-19 at the beginning of the year. The rules also made remote working a mandatory option and obliged employers to provide the necessary tools for working at home comfortably.
