Employer groups are demanding the Allan Government withdraw its work-from-home bill, even as new figures show wide support for flexible arrangements among Victorian workers

Victoria is on track to become the first Australian jurisdiction with a legislated right to work from home, but the bill designed to guarantee it has triggered a sharp standoff between the state government and the business community less than three weeks after it was tabled.

The Equal Opportunity Amendment (Work from Home) Bill 2026 was introduced to the Victorian Parliament on 16 June 2026 and had its second reading tabled the following day.

If passed in its current form, it will amend the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) to give eligible employees a statutory entitlement to work from home for up to two days a week, with a pro-rata equivalent for part-time and regular casual staff. The right is scheduled to take effect from 1 September 2026, with a delayed start of 1 July 2027 for employers with fewer than 15 staff.

Unlike the existing right to request flexible working arrangements under the federal Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), the Victorian model shifts the burden onto employers.

Rather than employees asking and businesses assessing "reasonable business grounds" for refusal, businesses will need to affirmatively demonstrate that a work-from-home notice is not reasonable, with disputes running through the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) for conciliation and, if unresolved,...

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