The Victorian Government has introduced the Equal Opportunity Amendment (Work from Home) Bill 2026 (Vic) (Bill) to Parliament. If enacted in its current form, the Bill will amend the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) (EO Act) to create a statutory right for eligible employees to work from home for up to two days per week.

Key features of the Bill include the following:

• A statutory entitlement for eligible full-time employees to work from home for two days per week (pro-rated for part-time employees and certain casual employees).
• An obligation on employers to permit working from home as set out in the employee’s ‘work from home notice’ unless it is ‘not reasonable’ to do so, assessed by reference to an exhaustive list of prescribed statutory factors.
• If it is 'not reasonable' for the employee to work from home as set out in the notice, the employer must permit reasonable alternative arrangements that enable working from home.
• The employee may request to ‘work from home’ at a place other than their private residence.
• The employee is not required to specify the particular days or times for working from home in the ‘work from home notice’ where it is not practicable to do so.
• A requirement for employers to provide a written response within 21 days of receiving a work from home notice from an eligible employee.
• An obligation on employers to meet the reasonable costs necessary to enable working from home, including for essential equipment (hardware and software) and secure access to the employer’s information systems.
• An expansion of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission's jurisdiction to include the resolution of disputes about the right to work from home.
  A person would be able to make an application directly to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, whether or not the dispute has been brought to the Commission.
• Amendments to existing provisions of the EO Act, including in respect of victimisation, vicarious liability, dispute resolution and contravention application processes.

The right to work from home would commence on 1 September 2026. Commencement would be delayed for small business employers (employing less than 15 employers) until 1 July 2027.