Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on 4 April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12. The Act also includes provisions to transpose Article 9 of the EU Work Life Balance Directive and provide for a right to request flexible working for parents and carers. Separately, the Government brought amendments to the Bill at Report Stage to incorporate the provisions of the Right to Request Remote Work Bill 2021 into this Act.

The right to request flexible working for parents and carers and the right to request remote working for all employees are to be commenced following the preparation of a Code of Practice by the Workplace Relations Commission under Part 4. Commencement of Part 3 and Part 4 are for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. A draft code of practice has been completed by the WRC and has been submitted to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

My Department is engaging with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to consider the code, with a view to commencing the remaining provisions of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 in the next few weeks.

Under these provisions, all employees can make a request for remote work but the right to request flexible working only extends to parents and carers, as defined under the Directive. The Government has committed, however, to reviewing these provisions after two years to consider extending the right to request flexible working to all employees.