Coronavirus: Work from home law in Wales scrapped

A coronavirus law requiring people in Wales to work from home where they can has been scrapped by the Welsh Government.

It means it is no longer a criminal offence for individuals not to do so.

The changes were made as part of the easing of Wales' lockdown rules. The Welsh Government said the offence was no longer seen as proportionate.

But First Minister Mark Drakeford said working from home "remains a cornerstone of our approach".

The recommendation will remain in Welsh Government guidance.

The move comes after the UK government signalled a change to the advice to work from home in England.

Earlier in July Prime Minister Boris Johnson said employers would have "more discretion" from 1 August.

Despite this, the chief scientific adviser to the UK government, Sir Patrick Vallance, said there was no reason to change the guidance on home working.

Regulations had been in place in Wales for months requiring people to work from home where it was "reasonably practicable".

The Welsh Government removed the regulation over the weekend, with the offence lifted on Saturday.

Mark Drakeford said the Welsh Government's policy "remains clear that people should continue to work from home wherever they can".

"The increase in remote and flexible working has been one of the few positives we can take away from the coronavirus pandemic and for public health and other reasons I am keen that this continues - and the Welsh Government will lead by example," he said in a statement.

But he added that in order to provide the "flexibility needed to sustain this policy we will lift the legal requirement to work from home".

"Guidance will be provided to ensure that home working remains a cornerstone of our approach to recovery in Wales.

"Employers will also have responsibilities to support home working," he added.