In this episode, Karen Kirton explores how to handle employee requests to work remotely from different locations—whether interstate, in a different city, or even overseas. As remote work becomes more common, businesses must balance flexibility with operational needs, compliance, and fairness.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Equity concerns – How to ensure fairness when some employees must work in-office while others can work remotely, and how cost-of-living differences impact salaries.
• Hours of work and time zones – How to determine whether employees should work in the company’s primary time zone or adjust to their local hours, especially with significant time differences.
• Workplace health and safety (WHS) responsibilities – Why employers are legally responsible for ensuring remote employees have a safe working environment, even if working from home.
• Face-to-face time expectations – How often should remote employees return for team meetings or training, and who pays for travel?
• Promotion and career growth considerations – Why fully remote employees may be less visible for promotions and how to proactively manage career progression.
• Legal and tax implications – Why businesses must assess international tax, employment laws, and compliance risks before approving an employee’s request to work overseas.
• Using an Employer of Record (EOR) – How third-party agencies can manage international employment and compliance for employees working in other countries.
• Documenting agreements – Why every remote work arrangement should be clearly documented, including expectations for work hours, performance, and return visits.
• Trial periods and success measures – How to test remote work arrangements with clear success metrics to ensure business needs continue to be met.

By considering these factors, businesses can make informed decisions about remote work requests, ensuring fairness, compliance, and productivity while offering employees greater flexibility.

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Do you have employees working from anywhere? We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to Amplify HR or connect with Karen on LinkedIn.

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