by Thorsten Koch

According to plans by the Federal Ministry of Labor, there should be a legal right to work in the home office. The German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB) welcomes this. Mobile work should be possible voluntarily and under better conditions, even after the Corona pandemic. Working hours must be limited. Remote work had to be paid in full, said DGB chairman Reiner Hoffmann. Accident insurance protection should also apply.

According to the president of the digital industry association Bitkom, Achim Berg, mobile work is to be promoted by companies across the board. The current crisis shows that there is “immense potential” in digital technologies.

In contrast, Mario Ohoven, the head of the Federal Association of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (BVMW), refused a legal claim to mobile work. Remote work should remain an emergency solution, since there is a loss of performance at home, he said. With that, labor costs would rise, he implied.

Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) wants to present a law on mobile work by autumn. A state secretary at the ministry said that mobile work could improve the compatibility of family and work, save commuting times and increase job satisfaction. Finally, he warned the companies of an increasing risk of infection without necessary occupational safety.