Sir, – Leo Varadkar is rushing through legislation to allow for workers to request working from home ("New laws will give employees in the State the option to permanently work from home", News, January 15th).
He is assuming, without any evidence, that the idea of people working from home is a long-term viable option for companies, public sector bodies, for individuals and for society.
The ramifications of people working from home are far-reaching, wide and deep – both for society and for individuals.
Any one of us can think of as many disadvantages as there are advantages to such a change, yet none of this has been explored academically, societally, or though labour relations research.
We are currently in the grips of a diabolical pandemic, where vast swathes of people have no choice but to work from home. Nobody across society, including Leo Varadkar, is in a position to make a balanced judgment on such a radical change to our lives.
In any case, Leo Varadkar is not an expert in any of this; and it is surely an opportunistic abuse of power to be rushing such important legislation through the Oireachtas at a time of national crisis. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN NOLAN,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – The headline says “New laws will give employees in the State the option to permanently work from home”.
The text of the article says, “The Government says it will legislate to provide employees with the right to request their employer allow them work remotely.”
The right to ask for something is not the same as the right to receive something.
Wishful thinking by your headline writer? – Yours, etc,
C MURRAY,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – Working remotely has to be at the discretion of the employer in consultation with the employee.
To suggest that there will be an entitlement is wrong.
This would be an uncalled for and unnecessary interference in the employer and employee relationship.
A knee-jerk reaction to the times we are in? – Yours, etc,
JERRY CRONIN,
Cork.