Victorian Government delays work-from-home law amid concerns of impact to businesses

The Victorian Government has delayed the commencement of Equal Opportunity Amendment (Work from Home) Bill 2026 (Vic) from 1 September 2026 (and on 1 July 2027 for small businesses with fewer than 15 employees) to 1 July 2027.

The Bill had proposed to amend the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 to require Victorian employers to allow eligible Victorian employees to work from home and to oblige the employer to cover any reasonable costs associated with the work from home arrangements, including essential equipment (such as hardware and software) and secure access to the employer's information systems.

This announcement comes in light of concerns raised by Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Australian Industry Group and other peak organisations that the Bill would deter investments and hurt productivity.

The Government announced that the reason for the delay is to seek consultations, including from the relevant business organisations, for the amendment of the Bill to balance the benefits of flexible working with other economic priorities. However, the full scope of the consultation is not yet known.

When making the announcement, the Premier maintained that the Bill would pass before the November State Election.

The Bill is currently before the Upper House.

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