- Published:
- Wednesday 8 October 2025 at 12:00 pm
Unpacking gendered impacts of work from home legislation
The Commissioner strongly supports the protection of working from home entitlements through legislation.
Her submission on proposed working from home laws calls for a gender impact assessment (GIA) on the proposed legislation.
Under the Gender Equality Act, GIAs must be done on policies, programs and services with a direct and significant impact on the public. This includes the development of the proposed work from home legislation.
Under the proposed laws, if you can reasonably do your job from home, you will have the right to do so for at least two days a week. This applies whether you work in the public or private sector.
The Commissioner highlights specific challenges presented by hybrid working environments. She urges Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) to consider these in developing the new laws:
- proximity bias and its potential to negatively impact women and other marginalised individuals
- the increased safety risk for individuals experiencing domestic and family violence
- workplace technology-facilitated sexual harassment, which particularly affects women and young people
- the potential for flexible working arrangements to reinforce existing gender stereotypes and roles.
The proposed work from home legislation reflects the evolving nature of work. It has the potential to be transformative for individuals of all genders. This includes people with caring responsibilities and others facing barriers in traditional work structures. It recognises the diverse needs of a modern workforce.
The Commissioner’s submission outlines six recommendations. These aim to identify and address potential gendered harms. By managing these harms, the Victorian Government can make sure the proposed laws are fair and effective for everyone – regardless of gender.
More information
Read the Commissioner’s submission on proposed work from home laws:
Updated