Remote Work: Lessons Learned Over The Past 5 Years

The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a defining moment for the working world, especially in terms of the rapid deployment of remote work across several sectors. Five years after the pandemic, remote work remains a hot topic for employers.

Remote Work: A Right or a Privilege?

In Canada, except for a few laws that refer to working remotely,¹ there is currently no specific legislative framework governing remote work. As a result, when managing employees who work from home, employers must rely on standard workplace regulations and any collective agreements applicable to unionized employees.²

Generally, remote work is considered a privilege that an employer grants to accommodate an employee³—not a right.⁴ This privilege arises from the employer's right to manage and may therefore be revoked by the employer.