The HR Space is edited by
Louise Béchamp,
Karen M. Sargeant and
Brian P. Smeenk
The CEOs at top tech companies have received attention over
their policies allowing employees to work from home. While some companies insist that working from home
motivates people to work responsibly, quickly and with high
quality, others prefer their employees to attend at the office. The
reality is that each company is unique, and the decision to
continue or cancel alternate work arrangements depends on a number
of considerations. A necessary and critical consideration in making
this decision is the employer's legal obligation to continue
such arrangements.
A Necessary Consideration
With the exception of an employer's duty to accommodate
under human rights legislation, employers are not required to allow
employees to work from home. However, once an arrangement to do so
is in place, legal issues arise that may hinder an employer's
ability to recall its employees back to the
