New Teleworking Law: who should bear the costs of electricity and internet?

Although the remote work law arose with the intention of reducing the economic impact of the pandemic on Businessthe gradual recovery of the national economy has generated an imbalance in the monthly budget of the workers due to the investment that connectivity entails, either by light, internet and adequate equipment.

Faced with this problem, the Executive has a proposal on file to modify the Telework Law in order to regularize the economic situation of the staff.

Who would bear the costs of electricity and internet?

This proposal seeks to ensure the welfare of workers. Its purpose is the compensation of expenses in terms of electricity and internet during the hours that you fulfill your work, establishing that it is the employers who will have to assume these costs, in addition to providing the necessary equipment to their workers; Otherwise, they will have to reach an agreement so that the worker is not affected.

Along the same lines, the labor lawyer Cesar Gonzales Hunt, in dialogue with La República, detailed this regulation that would be made official soon. “Although companies must provide the equipment and the Internet access service, there is also the option that the worker assumes it and the employer compensates the consumption of electrical energy, unless otherwise,” he explained.

What are the benefits of teleworking?

Article 18 of the draft regulation of the Teleworking Law establishes that the staff may choose or request the change of modality, either from face-to-face to virtual or vice versa if they meet the criteria indicated in article 14, which are:

a) Family responsibilities of the teleworker

b) Functions that are developed according to the job position

c) Travel capacity of the teleworker

d) Change of location of the work center

e) Disability situation of the teleworker.

If these requirements are met, the worker would benefit from the possibility of finding a balance between his work and family life, as well as his additional activities. Likewise, savings in tickets, food, clothing and fuel, if applicable.

For its part, the employer could see an increase in the productivity of its workers as they are subjected to a lower stress load. It would also reduce the costs of renting facilities, mobility, surveillance, services, among others.