Hungary: planned reform for remote work

A revision of the law on home-based work is expected to soon reach Hungary’s Parliament. The changes intend for home-based to require mutual agreement between employers and employees. In other words, employers would no longer be able to unilaterally order employees to work at home, as was previously the case (up to a cap of 44 days per year). Another important change is that employers will be able to compensate employees for expenses incurred, the value of which could not exceed 10% of the current minimum salary, i.e. HUF 16,100 (€50). Employers will have to continue to provide staff with the equipment they need to work at home, and to monitor both their use and the safety of employees’ working conditions at home. While trade unions and employers’ organizations have said they are satisfied with the draft that has been submitted to them, they still don’t agree on several health and safety at work issues, with the discord over what qualifies as a home-based work accident being particularly acute. The Ministry of Technology and Innovation in charge of the subject plans to submit amendments to Parliament as soon as possible, the target being this autumn.