Victoria's plan to give workers a legal right to work from home is unlikely to become law this term. The Equal Opportunity Amendment (Work from Home) Bill 2026 passed the Legislative Assembly on 30 July, but the upper house voted 18 to 17 on 10 September to send it to a committee, ABC News reported. The official bill page still shows it at the Council second reading stage.
Key takeaways
- The bill would let eligible employees work from home up to two days a week where reasonable.
- It passed the lower house unamended on 30 July 2026.
- The upper house referred it to a select committee on 10 September by 18 votes to 17.
- Premier Ben Carroll said he would not add extra sitting days to pass it.
- Victoria votes on 28 November 2026; bills not passed before Parliament ends lapse.
What would the bill do?
It would add working from home to Victoria's equal opportunity law, so eligible employees could ask to work from home two days a week and employers could refuse only on reasonable grounds. The government published business-friendly amendments on the day of the vote.
What happens next?
If the bill lapses, whichever party wins the election would need to bring it back. Until then, Australian workers can still use the existing federal right to request flexible work under the Fair Work Act.
What does it mean if you work remotely?
Nothing changes yet. If flexibility matters, raise it at the offer stage and get it in writing. Our guides to moving to a remote career and work from home jobs cover what to ask.
What is the background?
Working from home is a bigger political issue in Australia than in most countries. Victoria's government promised to write a right to work from home into law, while business groups warned it would add cost and red tape. At the federal level, the Fair Work Act already lets many employees request flexible arrangements, but an employer can refuse on reasonable business grounds. Victoria's bill would have gone further by making two days a week a starting point.
Who would it affect?
Office-based employees in Victoria whose work can reasonably be done from home, including full-time, part-time and casual staff on a pro-rata basis. Under the government's amendments, small businesses with fewer than 15 employees would have had more time to comply. Some large employers, such as retailer Myer, are moving the other way and asking corporate staff back five days a week.
What should workers do now?
- Don't rely on the bill. Until a law passes, your contract and workplace policy decide your arrangements.
- Use the federal right to request flexible work if you need it, and put your request in writing.
- Ask about work from home rules at the offer stage, and get the answer in your contract.
- Watch the 28 November election, because the outcome will decide whether the bill returns.
Sources: Victorian Legislation, bill status; ABC News, 10 September 2026.
Keep this insight useful.
Share it with your network, save it for later, or create a signed affiliate link.
Creating or clicking a link does not create earnings. Only fraud-reviewed outcomes can allocate an existing eligible paid-ad-funded monthly pool.
