Remote Work Policy
A Remote Work policy that addresses WHS, data security and performance obligations for hybrid and remote employees in Australia.
Remote and hybrid work is now a permanent feature of the Australian workforce. Your WHS duty of care extends to a worker's home office, your data-security obligations extend to home networks, and your performance management practices need to work for people you don't see every day.
This free template is written for Australian employers and covers the full lifecycle of a remote-work arrangement.
What this template covers
- Eligibility and approval process for working remotely.
- WHS expectations including a home-workstation self-assessment.
- IT, equipment, data security and acceptable use.
- Performance, availability and communication standards.
- Flexible working requests under s.65 of the Fair Work Act 2009.
- The right to disconnect introduced by the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Act 2024.
- Costs, allowances and reimbursement.
Why every Australian business needs one
The right to disconnect and modern WHS expectations have made informal remote-work arrangements legally risky. A documented policy protects both the business and the employee and is increasingly expected by candidates as part of a formal employee value proposition.
Download the editable Word template, tailor it to your tooling and security requirements, and pair it with a remote-work agreement for each employee.
Disclaimer. This template is general information for Australian employers and is not legal advice. It is provided free of charge and “as is”. Review and adapt it for your industry, modern award or enterprise agreement, state or territory and workplace, and check that it is current, before issuing it. For complex, high-risk or contested matters seek advice from an employment lawyer or IR adviser. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we make no warranty that the template is accurate, complete, current or suitable for your purposes, and we accept no liability (including for negligence) for any loss arising from its use or any reliance on it. Nothing in this disclaimer excludes any right under the Australian Consumer Law that cannot lawfully be excluded.