MADRID: Businesses cannot force employees to work from home and for those that do, they must cover the costs incurred, according to a draft bill approved Tuesday by Spain’s government.

The legislation applies to home working during the Covid-19 pandemic. “This puts us at the forefront of European legislation,” Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz told a press conference, saying all home working arrangements should be voluntary on the part of both employers and employees. “The employer cannot impose homeworking on the employee,” and a worker could not be sacked for refusing to do so, she said of a text agreed between business leaders and unions. The move will apply to all employees who spend at least 30 percent of their time working from home — the equivalent of one day and a half per week — for at least three months, which will require the negotiation of an agreement. Employers will also have to cover the cost of equipment, tools and other expenses while the employee is working from home, a government statement said, such as electricity, internet and phone bills, IT kit and ergonomic chairs.

In exchange, businesses will be able to adopt “measures to check and monitor” that their staff are fulfilling their work obligations, the Expansion business daily said.