The Czech Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has proposed a new regulation allowing employees working from home to receive an additional 4.60 koruna per hour in compensation for expenses. This would amount to approximately 690 koruny per month, based on an average of 150 hours worked. The initial proposal suggested a rate of 2.80 koruna per hour, or around 420 koruny for the same number of hours.
The proposed regulation includes various expenses such as gas, electricity, solid fuels, heat delivery, centralized hot water supply, water supply, wastewater disposal, septic tank cleaning, and municipal waste disposal. These costs were determined based on the average consumption of one adult in an average household per hour.
However, Josef Středula, the chairman of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, believes that the amount proposed by the ministry is inadequate. He stated that reputable employers already provide higher amounts for home office expenses.
The new regulation, recently approved by parliament, allows for reimbursing costs related to gas, electricity, and water consumed during working hours. The hourly rate, exempt from taxes, will be determined by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
It is worth noting that the regulation does not require employers to provide reimbursement for home office expenses. The decision to offer compensation above the proposed amount will be at the discretion of the employer and employee. Furthermore, the regulation also allows for a third option, where employees would not receive any additional compensation for increased expenses incurred while working from home.
Some government ministries and employer associations have opposed the regulation during the public consultation process. They argue that mandatory reimbursement for home office expenses would provide an advantage to those working from home, as they would save on transportation and meal costs.
According to data from the Ministry of Labor, employees in private companies worked an average of 147.5 hours per month in the first quarter of this year, while those in the public sector worked an average of 151.2 hours.
Please note that the proposed regulation is subject to public consultation and final approval.