Employers who do not respect this obligation expose themselves to heavy fines: from 613 euros to 9,600 euros. Paying too much for a phone call, SMS or email.
Businesses will also have to help fund expenses associated with working remotely, such as rising electricity and internet bills. Employers are also prohibited from establishing a monitoring system for their employees while they are working from home.
Restrictions on the law
The law provides for certain exceptions. In the event of force majeure, managers have the right to contact their employees. In addition, the new rules only apply to companies with fewer than 10 employees.
An argument to attract remote foreign workers
As reported by Ouest France, for the Portuguese government, this new “remote work culture” is an argument for attracting foreign remote workers who are tempted by the country’s living environment. “We consider Portugal one of the best places in the world to settle down with these digital nomads and telecommuters. We want to attract them to Portugal”, stated Portuguese Minister of Labor, Ana Mendes Godinho.
