Working from home: Here are your rights

Do I have the right to work remotely?

You are only entitled to work from home to the extent agreed with your employer. If you do not normally work from home, you are only entitled to work from home if you have agreed to this with your employer.

Can I be required to work from home - either temporarily or permanently?

Even if your contract of employment states that you have a permanent place of work in the office, your employer may require you to work from home for shorter periods at a time. If you are required to work from home on a permanent basis for a few days a week or more, this could constitute a substantial change in your terms of employment, which your employer will have to notify to you. If this is the case, we encourage you to contact the IDA for advice.

My employer is demanding that I work from home, but this is not possible for me. How does this impact my salary?

You are entitled to a salary, as it is the employer who decides that you need to work remotely.

Who should pay for my internet when my employer has made me work from home?

If your employer has asked you to work from home, your employer is also responsible for ensuring that you have access to the tools you need to do your job from home. The general rule is that your employer must provide you with an internet connection and cover the cost of this.

However, most people already have access to and pay for an internet connection at home, so dialogue with the employer is often advisable.

Do I have to provide my own office space for home work and pay for extra consumption of electricity, heating, water, etc.?

The basic principle is that your employer has a duty to provide the tools necessary for you to work from home.

However, the additional costs of electricity, heating, water, etc. will often be relatively modest and therefore dialogue with the employer may be the best approach.

My internet is down - am I entitled to a salary, even if I can't work?

As it is your employer's duty to provide work equipment, it is also your employer who bears the risk if the work equipment is not working. Your employer cannot therefore deduct your pay/ask you to take time off, and you are therefore entitled to pay if the internet stops working and you cannot work as a result.

Am I required to turn on my webcam when I work at home?

It is your employer's right to determine how you carry out your work, including whether you must have your webcam switched on when you take part in internal and external video meetings during working hours. You can choose to mute the background and turn off the sound when you're not talking, to avoid your manager/colleagues/customers suddenly getting a glimpse of your private life that you might not be interested in.

However, your employer cannot require you to keep your webcam switched on for the rest of the day when you are not taking part in video meetings. This would be a control measure that goes beyond what is necessary and you are entitled to turn off your webcam when you are not taking part in video meetings.

Do the rules on setting up home workplaces still apply?

If you work from home regularly and more than 2 days a week on average over the course of a month, there are special requirements for the design of your home workplace. Often the impression is that the legislation is very comprehensive and requires, for example, height-adjustable desks and mechanical ventilation for everyone who works at home, but this is not the case.

The most important points in the rules on working from home are as follows:

• Table: There must be sufficient space on and under the work table. The seating and working height at the desk must be appropriate for the employee working at the desk and the tasks being performed. You are not entitled to a sit-stand desk.
• Chair: The chair seat must be height adjustable. The chair back should be height adjustable and tiltable.
• Monitor: The monitor should be separate from the keyboard and be able to swivel and tilt according to your needs.
• Keyboard and mouse: The keyboard should be separate from the monitor. There should be sufficient space in front of the keyboard to allow the employee to rest their hands and forearms on the tabletop and use the mouse in appropriate working postures and movements.

You are allowed to use your own equipment as long as it fulfils the applicable requirements for screen work. If you don't have suitable equipment of your own, your employer must provide you with the necessary equipment at your home workplace.

You can read more about the rules for working at home on the Danish Working Environment Authority's website (In Danish).

Remember the psychosocial work environment when you work from home

It's important to remember that organising your home office or remote workspace is not just about ergonomics and equipment. It's just as important to focus on the psychosocial work environment and your mental health and well-being as an employee.

Read more about stress and enthusiasm in the psychosocial work environment

The Danish Working Environment Authority produces guidelines that show employers' most important duties in relation to working preventively with stressful factors in the psychosocial work environment.

Read the Danish Working Environment Authority's guide on workload, time pressure and employers' obligations at at.dk (in Danish)