From 1 January 2025: Home Office Becomes Telework – Beyond Your Own Home

During the Covid-19 pandemic, working from home was regulated by law for the first time. Now the rules are being adapted to real-world needs – and home office and mobile work are becoming telework, explicitly including locations outside the employee's own home.

Austria leading the way

Our neighbours in Austria are setting the pace: from 1 January 2025, the legal term "home office" will be replaced by "telework" – which expressly also covers workplaces outside the employee's own home. Read the original article in Kleine Zeitung (German).

First steps in Germany

Germany has taken a first step too, with new guidelines for mobile work from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS). Two key points stand out:

• Point 4 – Equipment & occupational safety: The costs of required work equipment (basic setup) and occupational safety measures (§ 3 (3) German Occupational Safety Act, ArbSchG) must be borne by the employer – regardless of the work location.
• Point 5 – Risk assessment: A risk assessment is mandatory for mobile workplaces as well.

Germany is therefore moving closer to the Austrian model. For details on the German guidelines, see our article Labour Ministry publishes guidelines on home office.

What does this mean for employers?

Telework as a legal framework means: employers are just as responsible for the workplace at home as for the one in the office – including occupational safety, health and ergonomic equipment. That puts new demands on HR and EHS – issues that can no longer be handled "on the side".

How onyo supports you

With onyo, we support companies holistically with home office: from ergonomic equipment to digital risk assessments, well-being and desk booking – legally compliant and scalable.

Want to make your telework strategy future-proof? Book a free consultation.