LRD guides and handbook April 2021

Negotiating the new homeworking landscape - a guide for union reps

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Introduction

Introduction [pages 3-4] (755 words)

COVID-19 has changed the working lives of millions of people and now, as restrictions gradually start to ease, the question is: how different will ...
Open access

Chapter 1

1. What is remote working? [ch 1: page 5] (177 words)

Remote working is usually used to describe work that is carried out from a location that is not the office so this could be either from home or ...
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Flexible working [ch 1: page 5] (204 words)

Occasional (ad-hoc) working from home [ch 1: pages 5-6] (115 words)

Regular homeworking [ch 1: page 6] (127 words)

Permanent homeworking [ch 1: page 6] (161 words)

Chapter 2

2. Is remote working a good thing for workers? [ch 2: page 7] (230 words)

Preliminary findings of the Covid-19 and working from home survey released by the Scottish TUC revealed a very mixed picture of people’s ...
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The upside of homeworking [ch 2: page 7] (99 words)

New opportunities for disabled workers [ch 2: pages 7-8] (397 words)

Benefits for parents and carers [ch 2: pages 8-9] (149 words)

The downside of homeworking [ch 2: pages 9-10] (375 words)

Disadvantages for new recruits and young workers [ch 2: page 10] (220 words)

Homeworking and trade union staff [ch 2: pages 10-11] (370 words)

Can homeworking be compulsory? [ch 2: pages 11-13] (533 words)

Loss of location top-up allowance [ch 2: page 13] (124 words)

Will homeworking suit everyone? [ch 2: pages 13-14] (621 words)

The future looks hybrid [ch 2: pages 14-15] (499 words)

What happens to the office? [ch 2: pages 16-18] (989 words)

Challenges for reps connecting with members [ch 2: pages 18-19] (276 words)

Chapter 3

3. Unequal access to homeworking [ch 3: page 20] (146 words)

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, homeworking was becoming more widely available, thanks largely to advances in technology. However, expansion was too ...
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Who has access to homeworking? [ch 3: pages 20-21] (301 words)

Addressing inequality of access [ch 3: page 21] (247 words)

Chapter 4

4. Making the homeworking case to employers [ch 4: pages 22-23] (620 words)

Employees are not the only ones who can benefit from the rise in homeworking. Employers also stand to gain. ...
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Practical considerations for managers [ch 4: pages 23-24] (617 words)

Chapter 5

5. Managing for homeworker inclusion [ch 5: page 26] (295 words)

Managing a remote workforce is new territory for a lot of managers. It necessitates new skills, with managers having to be prepared to offer much ...
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Career progression [ch 5: pages 26-28] (564 words)

Trust [ch 5: page 28] (166 words)

Measuring performance [ch 5: pages 28-29] (261 words)

Staying in touch [ch 5: pages 29-30] (501 words)

When the homeworker comes into the office [ch 5: page 30] (147 words)

Chapter 6

6. Negotiating a homeworking collective agreement [ch 6: page 31] (338 words)

In many workplaces, homeworking is just included in broader workplace flexible working policies, but with it becoming so commonplace it is worth ...
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Union advice on setting up an agreement [ch 6: pages 32-33] (595 words)

Union representation and homeworking [ch 6: page 33] (161 words)

Ending a homeworking arrangement [ch 6: page 34] (208 words)

ILO guidance on homeworking policies [ch 6: pages 34-35] (302 words)

Chapter 7

7. Who pays the costs of homeworking? [ch 7: page 36] (242 words)

Updated TUC guidance, published at the start of the third COVID lockdown, says that no worker should be expected to pay for their own equipment, such ...
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Equipment [ch 7: pages 36-38] (678 words)

Household bills [ch 7: page 38] (194 words)

Insurance [ch 7: page 38] (86 words)

Mortgage providers and landlords [ch 7: page 39] (52 words)

Travel costs [ch 7: page 39] (243 words)

Time spent travelling [ch 7: page 39] (80 words)

Homeworking expenses at the Home Office [ch 7: pages 39-40] (317 words)

Business rates [ch 7: page 40] (120 words)

Tax relief [ch 7: page 41] (250 words)

Chapter 8

8. Health, safety and welfare [ch 8: pages 42-43] (527 words)

Health and safety for homeworkers is a key area of concern for unions, both during the coronavirus pandemic and looking to the future. Many people in ...
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What union reps can do [ch 8: pages 43-44] (469 words)

The basic legal health and safety framework [ch 8: pages 44-45] (325 words)

Written health and safety policy [ch 8: page 45] (170 words)

Safety rep information and consultation rights [ch 8: page 46] (169 words)

Risk assessments [ch 8: pages 46-48] (647 words)

Safety information and training for homeworkers [ch 8: page 48] (239 words)

Homeworking and display screen safety [ch 8: pages 49-50] (459 words)

Homeworking and equipment safety [ch 8: page 50] (133 words)

Electrical equipment [ch 8: page 50] (163 words)

Equipment breakdown [ch 8: page 50] (72 words)

Homeworking and domestic abuse [ch 8: page 51] (198 words)

Lone working [ch 8: page 51] (119 words)

Employee security [ch 8: page 51] (88 words)

Acas checklist for setting up homeworking [ch 8: pages 52-53] (355 words)

Stress, anxiety and isolation [ch 8: pages 53-55] (681 words)

Sickness [ch 8: page 55] (90 words)

Working time [ch 8: page 55] (38 words)

Work-life balance [ch 8: pages 55-56] (446 words)

Working Time Regulations [ch 8: pages 56-57] (239 words)

Chapter 9

9. Data protection, privacy and monitoring [ch 9: pages 58-59] (519 words)

Working from home creates extra data protection challenges for both employers and employees. ...
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Privacy and electronic monitoring [ch 9: pages 59-62] (1,238 words)

Chapter 10

10. Individuals’ right to request flexible working [ch 10: page 63] (290 words)

As the impact of the coronavirus pandemic begins to recede, reps and members need to be familiar with the law on making requests to work flexibly. ...
Subscribers only

How a request should be made [ch 10: pages 63-64] (247 words)

How the employer should respond to a request [ch 10: page 64] (344 words)

Appealing a decision [ch 10: pages 64-65] (108 words)

The ‘business reasons’ for rejecting a request [ch 10: page 65] (246 words)

Trial periods [ch 10: page 65] (119 words)

Employers’ response to multiple requests [ch 10: page 66] (144 words)

Treating a request as withdrawn [ch 10: page 66] (83 words)

Bringing an employment tribunal claim [ch 10: page 66] (269 words)

Chapter 11

11. Homeworking as a disability ‘reasonable adjustment’ [ch 11: pages 68-69] (965 words)

There is a duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled workers, and this applies to homeworkers just as it does to any other worker. ...
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Further information

Further information [page 71] (59 words)

Acas guide on homeworking is available at: https://www.acas.org.uk/working-from-home ...
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