The Ministry of Labour will meet with employers and unions at 10:00.
The draft law that it intends to use to regulate teleworking has already been prepared, and it states that companies must bear "in full" the costs generated for employees, but also that it will be "voluntary."
The Government will kick off the social dialogue meetings on Wednesday to address the regulation of teleworking, a matter that was already among the priorities of the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, but which has gained even more weight after the restrictions on mobility and the change in the labour, economic and social scenario associated with the coronavirus pandemic. After months of recommending teleworking to all companies, the Executive wants to provide it with a legal framework as soon as possible - although there are some regulations in force on this matter, they are not enough.
The employers' associations CEOE and Cepyme, and the unions UGT and CCOO, will meet from 10:00 with a representative of the Ministry headed by Yolanda Díaz, in a first technical meeting, conceived as a sort of first contact.
Garamendi warns that the CEOE sees it as "a tool that helps, but in no case as a right." The Labour Party argues the opposite.
The idea is to begin collecting contributions from social stakeholders - the unions have announced that they will present a document with their proposals - although the Labour Department opened a public consultation in June to receive comments on the new law.
The upcoming teleworking regulation: respect for working hours, disconnection, occupational risks and reimbursement of expenses
Trade unions have been urging for months to regulate teleworking - nearly 10 million people have been teleworking during the pandemic, according to their figures - although employers have expressed their misgivings about the new regulation. This Tuesday, in an interview on 20Minutos, the president of the CEOE, Antonio Garamendi, stated that they conceive teleworking as "a tool that helps, but in no case as a right, because at that time it will not be contracted."
Garamendi stressed that "employment is organised by the company" and only admitted that teleworking "is here to stay" and that it is "a very interesting tool for companies and for family conciliation".
She also stated that it is an issue to be addressed "within the framework of social dialogue and collective bargaining." In that teleworking "is not a right" and should be left in the hands of companies, her position clashes head-on with that of Díaz's Ministry, which has nevertheless always insisted on addressing any legal reform within the framework of social dialogue - without going any further, the equality table met again on Tuesday.
Following the signing of the Pact for Economic Recovery and Employment with the social partners last Friday in La Moncloa, the Executive has boasted of the new agreement with the social partners, and is willing to continue reaching agreements, although in this matter, as in the repeal of the labour reform, the differences with the employers' association may become unavoidable - the significant discrepancies on the latter even affect the Executive.
On the other hand, the unions are willing to address this regulation, but in June they criticised the fact that the Executive had not negotiated with the social agents before promoting this public consultation. In May, this newspaper anticipated some of the demands of the union organisations in this matter, and part of them are included in the draft bill that the Labour Ministry has already drafted.
Draft law on remote work
This draft law on remote work states that companies must fully cover the development of teleworking. In no case may it involve expenses for the employee "related to the equipment, tools and means linked to the development of their work activity."
The draft law states that teleworking will be voluntary and will not entail any cost for the worker.r
It also provides that remote work will be "voluntary" for the worker, reversible and will require a written agreement. It will have "priority" for people who are in a situation of reduced working hours, whether to care for children under 12 years of age, to exercise the right to breastfeed, or for victims of gender-based violence or terrorism.
In addition, it is expected to allow flexible hours, allowing the worker to "alter the established service provision schedule", in addition to reflecting their right to digital disconnection. The two governing parties, PSOE and Unidas Podemos, have maintained this line of action - but much more generic - within the framework of the reconstruction commission of the Congress of Deputies, and from this Wednesday there will also be open lines of conversation with social agents.
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