WFH has ‘outlived the pandemic’: Greens push bill for 2-day statutory right for flexibility

On Wednesday (5 November), the Greens put forward a bill that could allow many Australians to work from home for two days per week.

The Fair Work Amendment (Right to Work from Home) Bill 2025 had its first reading on Wednesday (5 November). This bill was put forward by the Greens, which aimed to amend the Fair Work Act 2009, giving workers the right to request to work from home (WFH) for up to two days per week.

If passed, the bill will allow all workers to work remotely for two days per week unless such arrangements are impractical or impossible based on the inherent requirements of the role.

Additionally, the bill will require employers to consider reasonable adjustments that could accommodate WFH requests, including online meetings, digital check-ins and team coordination, providing IT equipment and secure access, and establishing reporting methods to support accountability, it said.

The two-day WFH proposal is not new. In August of this year, the Victorian government announced a proposal for two days of work from home for all Victorians. As previously reported by HR Leader, Greens leader and spokesperson on women Larissa Waters said that a national two-day WFH would protect women’s rights to work while caring for their family. She stressed that this would also be a win for the economy.

However, the Victorian government’s move faced opposition from employers’ associations, including the Australian Industry Group, whose Victorian head, Tim Piper, stressed that the proposal was “little more than political theatre” and that the proposal is “divisive” as it will privilege white-collar workers while excluding blue-collar workers.

The Greens’ latest workplace bill comes off the back of the landmark Fair Work Commission decision against Westpac, which granted a Westpac employee’s request for flexible working arrangements to carry out domestic care duties.

Last week, the Finance Sector Union (FSU) wrote to leaders of major banks across the nation, calling for a review of their flexible work policies. FSU national assistant secretary Nicole McPherson said this decision will mean that employers cannot hide behind “collaboration” or “culture” to deny flexible work anymore.

During the bill’s second reading, Greens Senator Nick McKim said: “The work-from-home trend has outlived the pandemic. The old rhythms of eight-to-four or nine-to-five in a central workplace are no longer the reality for millions of Australians.”