Remote Working in Ireland: Your Rights and How to Make a Request
Irish employees have a legal right to request remote working. A 2026 statutory review found 94% of employees who used the framework had their requests approved fully or partly. Here is how the process works.
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Practical employment guide · Updated 1 October 2026. General information only.
If you want to work from home for part or all of the week, Irish law gives you a formal route to ask.
A statutory review published by the Department of Enterprise in March 2026 found that 94% of employees who used the legal remote-working request framework had their requests approved either fully or partly.
That is encouraging, but it does not mean there is an automatic right to work from home.
The key distinction is:
You have a legal right to request remote working. You do not have an automatic legal right to work remotely.
Your employer must consider a valid request and follow the statutory process. They can still refuse it.
Remote working rights in Ireland at a glance
| Question | Current position |
|---|---|
| Can any employee make a statutory request? | Yes |
| Can you request it from your first day? | Yes |
| When can an approved arrangement begin? | After at least 6 months’ continuous employment |
| How much notice should you give? | At least 8 weeks before the proposed start date |
| Must the request be in writing? | Yes |
| How long does the employer normally have to respond? | No later than 4 weeks |
| Can that period be extended? | Yes, by up to a further 8 weeks where assessment is difficult |
| Must a refusal be explained? | Yes, in writing |
| Can the WRC overturn a refusal simply because it disagrees? | No — it reviews compliance with the process, not the merits of the decision |
The framework has applied since 6 March 2024 under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.
Who can request remote working?
The statutory right to request remote working applies to all employees.
You can make a request from your first day in a job.
However, an approved arrangement cannot begin until you have completed at least six months of continuous employment with that employer.
That means you can ask in advance, but the proposed start date must fall after the six-month service requirement is met.
You normally need to apply at least eight weeks in advance
The Workplace Relations Commission Code says the request should be made as soon as reasonably practicable and no later than eight weeks before the proposed start date.
The formal request must be in writing and signed by the employee. An online application can satisfy that requirement.
What should the request include?
A strong request should cover:
- the remote-working arrangement you want;
- the proposed start date;
- any intended end date;
- your reasons for requesting remote work;
- the proposed remote-working location;
- and information showing that the location is suitable.
The WRC guidance also points to practical issues such as:
- a suitable workstation;
- adequate privacy;
- secure internet;
- access to the equipment and technology required for the role;
- data protection and confidentiality;
- and health and safety.
The more of these issues you address in the application, the easier it is for the employer to assess whether the arrangement is workable.
What reasons can you give?
Remote-working requests are not restricted to parents or carers.
Your reasons might include:
- reducing a long commute;
- improving work-life balance;
- managing family responsibilities;
- reducing commuting costs;
- creating more uninterrupted time for concentration-heavy work;
- or another genuine personal reason.
You do not need to invent an exceptional reason. You need to explain your actual needs clearly enough for the employer to weigh them against the needs of the business.
How to make a stronger request
A good request does more than say: “I want to work from home two days a week.”
It should answer the practical questions your employer is likely to have.
For example, explain:
The arrangement: the number of remote days you want.
The days: whether you are proposing fixed days or can be flexible.
The start date: at least eight weeks away and after the six-month service threshold.
Your availability: how you will remain contactable during normal working hours.
Meetings: when you will attend important in-person meetings, training or client events.
Your workspace: whether you have privacy, secure internet and an appropriate workstation.
Your output: how the arrangement will allow you to continue meeting the normal standards of the role.
A review point: offering to review the arrangement after a trial period can make a proposal easier to assess.
A simple request structure
You could use a structure like this:
I am making a request for a remote-working arrangement under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.
I am seeking to work remotely on [days / number of days] each week from [location], beginning on [date].
My reasons for requesting this arrangement are [brief explanation].
I believe the arrangement is workable because [explain how duties, meetings and communication would be managed].
My proposed remote-working location has an appropriate workspace, secure internet and the equipment required for my role.
I am happy to discuss alternative days or a trial arrangement if that would better meet the needs of the team.
The WRC Code also contains a template application.
How long does your employer have to respond?
An employer must respond as soon as reasonably practicable and no later than four weeks after receiving the request.
Within that period, the employer should:
- approve the request and enter into a written agreement; or
- refuse the request and give written reasons; or
- tell the employee in writing that more time is needed to assess whether the arrangement is viable.
Where assessing the request is difficult, the employer can extend the initial four-week period by up to a further eight weeks.
What can your employer consider?
The WRC Code says the employer should consider:
- the needs of the business;
- the employee’s reasons for requesting remote work;
- the suitability of the role;
- and the employee’s suitability to work remotely.
For the role, relevant questions can include:
- whether duties need to be performed on site;
- whether equipment or systems are only available at the workplace;
- whether significant face-to-face contact is required;
- whether remote working would affect service quality;
- and whether health, safety or technology issues arise.
For the employee, factors can include whether they have the necessary IT skills, understand the role, can work with appropriate independence and are meeting performance standards.
The Code says the request should be considered in an objective, fair and reasonable manner.
What does the 94% figure actually mean?
The Department of Enterprise’s statutory review, published on 5 March 2026, found:
- 94% of employees who used the statutory right had their request approved fully or partly;
- employers reported a low administrative burden;
- awareness and use of the legislation remained low;
- and awareness was particularly weak in rural communities.
The Government did not propose amendments to the primary legislation following the review.
It did announce plans to strengthen the practical guidance around the process.
The 94% figure should not be read as a promise that any individual employee has a 94% chance of approval. Different roles and businesses have different operational requirements.
It does show that, among employees who used the statutory framework in the review, full or partial approval was common.
What if your employer says no?
A refusal is not automatically unlawful.
The employer can decide that the proposed arrangement does not work for the business.
However, a refusal must be given in writing with reasons.
If the full request cannot be accommodated, it may be worth discussing alternatives such as:
- one remote day instead of three;
- different remote days;
- a time-limited trial;
- or remote work only for particular tasks.
A partial agreement is still a valid outcome.
Can you appeal a refusal to the WRC?
There is an important limitation.
Under these remote-working provisions, the WRC and Labour Court do not have legal power to reassess the merits of the employer’s decision.
They can examine whether the statutory process was followed.
A specific breach can generally be referred to the WRC within six months, with the possibility of an extension to a maximum of 12 months where reasonable cause is shown.
For a remote-working breach, an adjudication officer — or the Labour Court on appeal — may direct compliance with specified parts of the Act and/or award compensation of up to four weeks’ remuneration.
Can an approved arrangement later change?
Yes.
An employer and employee can agree in writing to vary an existing remote-working arrangement.
An employer may also terminate an approved arrangement in specified circumstances where it is satisfied that the arrangement would have or is having a substantial adverse effect on the operation of the business. The Code sets out a process around notice and employee representations.
Remote working is therefore not necessarily a permanent, unchangeable arrangement once agreed.
Remote work and the right to disconnect
Working from home does not mean being permanently available.
Ireland also has a WRC Code of Practice on the Right to Disconnect.
Its core principles include the right not to routinely work outside normal working hours and not to be penalised for refusing to deal with work matters outside those hours.
A good remote-working arrangement should therefore be clear about both where you work and when you are expected to be available.
The practical approach
If you want to request remote working:
- Check your employer’s hybrid or remote-working policy.
- Decide exactly what arrangement you want.
- Choose a start date at least eight weeks away and after the six-month service requirement.
- Explain your reasons clearly.
- Show how the role will continue to be performed effectively.
- Address communication, security, equipment and in-person requirements.
- Submit the request in writing and keep a copy.
The law gives employees a structured right to ask and receive proper consideration.
It does not guarantee a yes.
But the first statutory review suggests that when employees actually use the framework, they very often reach at least some form of remote-working agreement.
Related reading
For the wider work-life-balance picture, see Burnout: symptoms, causes and what actually helps and How to be happier: what the evidence actually says.
Remote working can also reduce spontaneous contact with colleagues. See How to make friends as an adult in Ireland.
