Right to Request Remote Working
aka RTW, Remote Working Act, Work Life Balance Act 2023
Statutory right for Irish employees with six months service to formally request remote working. Created by the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.
Last reviewed May 2026
Definition
The Right to Request Remote Working is a statutory entitlement for employees in Ireland to ask their employer for a remote working arrangement, introduced by the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 and commenced from 7 March 2024. The right does not guarantee remote working; it guarantees a fair process. Any employee with at least six months of continuous service may submit a written request setting out the proposed remote working arrangement, the location, the proposed start date and duration, and the reasons. Employers must consider the request having regard to their own needs, the employee's needs, and the WRC Code of Practice for Employers and Employees on the Right to Request Flexible Working and the Right to Request Remote Working. A response must issue within four weeks, extendable by a further eight weeks where the employer needs more time to assess. Approvals must be put in writing as a remote working agreement; refusals must give specific reasons drawn from the Code of Practice. Employees can appeal a refusal internally and, after exhausting the internal process, may bring a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission within six months. Compensation can be ordered, but the WRC cannot order the employer to grant remote working.
Why it matters for software choice
Most disputes are won or lost on whether the employer can show a documented, timely, reasoned process. HR software that captures the request, logs the response deadline, stores the manager's assessment against the Code of Practice criteria, and produces the written agreement or refusal letter, prevents avoidable WRC complaints. Manual email threads do not satisfy the recordkeeping standard.
Authority sources
- Citizens Information: Right to request remote working (www.citizensinformation.ie)
- Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 (www.irishstatutebook.ie)
- WRC Code of Practice on Flexible and Remote Working (www.workplacerelations.ie)
Software categories this affects
Vendors covered by this term
HRLocker
Irish-built HR software for the full employee lifecycle
BambooHR
Intuitive HR platform for Irish SMEs who need hiring, onboarding, and people management
HiBob
Modern HR platform designed for mid-size companies with strong culture and engagement tools
Sage HR
Lightweight HR platform from Sage, formerly CakeHR, with leave and performance management
Bizimply
Workforce management for hospitality, retail, and multi-location Irish businesses
Employment Hero
All-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits platform expanding across Europe
Personio
EU-first HR platform with GDPR-compliant data centres and payroll provider integrations
Workvivo
Employee experience platform - founded in Cork, acquired by Zoom
Related terms
Workplace Relations Commission
Ireland's statutory body that resolves employment disputes, inspects workplaces and adjudicates complaints under most employment, equality and industrial relations legislation.
Code of Practice on the Right to Disconnect
WRC Code of Practice giving Irish employees the right to disengage from work outside normal hours, in force since 1 April 2021. Admissible in WRC and Labour Court proceedings.
Organisation of Working Time Act 1997
Primary Irish statute governing maximum weekly working hours, daily and weekly rest periods, breaks, Sunday premiums, public holidays and annual leave for most employees.