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Working from home
Last updated August 2026
This chapter explains your health and safety obligations to workers who are working from home, and the steps you should take to meet your obligations.
Why might a worker work from home?
A worker may work from home for many reasons, including:
- temporary disability, e.g. an illness or broken leg;
- the business model of an organisation encouraging home-based work;
- a government or employer direction;
- personal circumstances, e.g. carer’s responsibilities, including parental; or
- there being an unreasonable distance from the worker’s home to the workplace.
Important: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a huge shift in Australia, with an overwhelming number of workers working for extended periods of time at home. Many organisations and workers have chosen to maintain a level of home-based work. In 2025, 36% of employed people usually worked from home, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Depending on your industry and the type of work your worker is required to perform, it may not be appropriate for them to work from home.