March 18, 2021
Labour Laws Changing Dramatically In Multiple EU Countries Mandating WFH Reimbursement For Smartphones
Germany’s biggest union, IG Metall, said last month that its research showed most people wanted to be able to choose when to work from home and when to work in the office, but they also wanted clear rules about things like the provision of IT equipment and office chairs. “The employer has to bear the cost for this,” the union said.
Germany is not the only country that’s reacting to the realities of the pandemic by ushering in new regulations on remote working.
In Spain, the government, unions and business associations struck a deal a couple weeks ago that says companies must cover the costs of equipping workers to do their jobs from home, and that guarantees flexible working schedules for home workers. Ireland is also drawing up remote-working guidelines.
Bearing the cost
“The question is how we can turn technological progress, new business models and higher productivity into progress not only for a few, but for many people. How do we turn technological progress into social progress?”
While Work From Home offers companies scope for cost savings, many governments are grappling with the question of how to regulate workers’ welfare when they are away from the office. France is relying on a 2017 law that limits the extent to which employees are obliged to answer phone calls and emails outside the office, while Spain, Greece and Ireland all want to legislate to introduce fresh homeworking regulations. Spain has approved decrees that make employers liable for work-related costs. Germany, once a laggard in embracing flexible work, has upended its sluggish reputation for change in recent months by pushing ahead with the legislation.
A couple of great articles by David Meyer at Fortune and Erika Solomon at the Financial times.
Click here for the articles : https://fortune.com/2020/10/01/working-from-home-could-become-legal-right-germany/ & https://www.ft.com/content/bc5b00ca-cf63-4da3-af2e-b4a4bb2a7dfc
Very simply it is now a legal requirement to reimburse employees for the business use of their Smartphone Hardware and Smartphone Plan.
mobilityView has the answer in our unique Cost Sharing capability called Mobile Cost Management
The key is how do you do so in a fair, transparent, equitable fashion for the employee that is also cost contained for the employer & meets local labour law and tax law requirements.
“Align your cellphone reimbursement policy to your car reimbursement policy. Tax authorities have required a mileage book for the car for decades; they now require the same for a cellphone. The more you drive the more you get reimbursed tax free; the more that you use your personal Smartphone and Plan the more you get reimbursed tax free”
Video on what we do for Gig Economy Workers & Employees : https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6775088174684352512
Video on what we do for Employers : https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6775789068920999936
Video on what we do to cost share for Employees & Employers : https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6739180994953379840
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