Amendment to labour law offers protection to employees working from home
Labour Protection Act BE 2566 (2023), which facilitates working from home, will come into effect on April 18 this year, deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Thursday.
She said the amendment was necessary as the old Labour Protection Act BE 2541 (1998) did not take into account changes in the working process.
"More employees are working from their residences or from other venues instead of employers' place of work," she said.
"The new Labour Protection Act will help improve employees' quality of life, facilitate employers' business operations, tackle traffic congestion and reduce fuel consumption,” she said.
The Labour Protection Act BE 2566 (2023) was announced in the Royal Gazette on March 19 this year, and it will come into effect on April 18.
She said the act will allow employers and employees to negotiate on their place of work, such as employees' residences and co-working spaces.
Employers and employees can negotiate on various issues, such as working hours, holidays, break time, job description, working equipment and expenses, she said.
She added the act also stipulates that employees can decline communication with their superiors after the set working hours, except in cases where the employees have given consent in advance.
Once the new Labour Protection Act comes into effect, employees who work from their residences or other venues will be protected by the labour laws, she added.
