The case concerns a human resources consultant who submitted a request for permanent work from home which was rejected by the employer.
The employer considered that this solution was not feasible in the long term and that some activities would be challenging to perform remotely.
Before the rejection, the company sought a compromise with the employee, including the possibility of a gradual return to work by continuing to work remotely for 80% of the time. However, the applicant refused the proposal.
In its judgment, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) rejected the employee's appeal to work from home 100 per cent, ruling that the employer had responded reasonably to the employee's request.
The FWC agreed with the employer's arguments and assessed that it had made adequate efforts to accommodate the employee and had "reasonable business reasons" for refusing the request.
The decision addresses a sensitive issue and emphasises the importance of employers having clear, formal regulations and policies on flexible working.