Italy: previous covid-related smart working arrangements are being extended until end 2022

The Aiuti Bis (Additional Aid decree c.f. article No.13179), that passed into law during the final Senate reading on 20 September, includes two new important points as regards agile working. First, the right to 100% smart working for vulnerable workers and parents of children under 14 years old is being extended until 31 December 2022. This measure allows vulnerable people (immunocompromised workers, oncology patients, employees with severe disabilities, etc.) to work entirely remotely, even if their usual tasks are not compatible with this type of working arrangement. For such situations, the employer must redirect the employee to work on tasks within the same category and hierarchical level, but that can be performed remotely, and failing that they must provide an opportunity for remote online training. Employees who are parents but who do not enter the vulnerable category however can only work remotely if the job is compatible with this type of arrangement, and the second parent must not be present at home. Second, the law for simplified smart working arrangements that was adopted during the Covid heath emergency health emergency phase is also being extended until 31 December 2022 the, i.e. the suspension of the obligation for individual employee-employer agreements and the continuation of simpler information communication between employers and the relevant authorities, regarding agile working. Since the original streamlining arrangements had lapsed on 31 August, many companies had rushed to have employees sign the individual agreements provided for by the law but which had been suspended since 2020 when the extraordinary measures were then applied. This latest change will give employers who did not practise smart working arrangements prior to the pandemic more time to get organized.