Australia’s state of Victoria will legally protect the right to work from home two days a week from September 2026, a move that could reshape expectations around hybrid work globally. Jenny Southan reports

The Australian state of Victoria has announced new legislation that will protect the right to work from home, giving eligible employees the legal ability to work remotely two days a week from September 1, 2026.

Premier Jacinta Allan says: “Work from home works for families, because it saves time and money and it gets more parents working.” She adds: “That’s why we will protect work from home in law from September 1.”

The policy reflects the scale of change that has taken place in the workforce since the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote and hybrid working models.

In Victoria, more than a third of workers already work from home regularly, including about 60% of professionals. Flexible working arrangements are now seen as a key factor in job satisfaction and employee retention.

Government data suggests the shift has also delivered measurable economic effects. Working from home is estimated to save families about AU$110 (£58) per week, or roughly AU$5,308 (£2,816) per year, largely through reduced commuting and daily expenses. Commuters are also saving more than three hours per week on average by avoiding travel to the office.

The government argues that legal protection for the right to work from home could increase workforce participation, particularly for parents and carers who may struggle with rigid office schedules. Ministers say the policy could also support productivity by allowing employees to use commuting time more efficiently.

The proposal has drawn criticism from some business groups, which argue that legislating hybrid work removes flexibility for employers. Critics say organisations should retain the ability to decide how remote work is implemented based on operational needs and workplace culture.

Despite this opposition, the law represents one of the first attempts globally to formalise work from home as a protected employment right rather than a company policy or benefit.

For the travel industry, the move reinforces a broader shift toward location independent work. If more governments begin treating remote work as a standard employment right, professionals may increasingly expect the ability to divide their time between home, office and other locations. This trend has already influenced patterns of travel, including the rise of longer stays, flexible travel schedules and the growth of digital nomad communities.

Hybrid work arrangements also enable employees to live further from their workplace or temporarily relocate without leaving their job. This creates opportunities for destinations that attract remote workers seeking lifestyle benefits such as lower living costs, natural environments or cultural experiences.

Victoria’s decision suggests that the next phase of remote work may not be defined solely by company policy, but by national or regional legislation that formalises flexibility as part of employment law. If similar measures emerge elsewhere, the relationship between work and travel could become even more fluid in the years ahead.

The reform, introduced by the Allan Labor Government, will be written into the state’s Equal Opportunity Act. It will apply to workers whose roles can reasonably be performed remotely and will cover workplaces regardless of their size. Smaller businesses with fewer than 15 employees will have until July 1, 2027, to comply with the new rules.

Under the legislation, employees who believe their request to work from home has been unfairly denied will have access to a formal dispute process. Cases will first be handled through conciliation by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, and if unresolved, they may proceed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.