Remote work has shifted the domain of occupational health and safety from the office to the home, sofa, or café. While many organisations adopt internal policies, legal frameworks are catching up: ensuring that remote workers receive the same protections as office-based employees, that their workstations are safe and ergonomically acceptable, and that employers remain accountable.
In this article, we highlight five countries whose legislation or regulatory frameworks stand out for remote-work ergonomics and compliance.
Remote Work Health & Safety Legislation – The Top 5
1. Mexico
Mexico has recently taken important steps to regulate telework and ergonomics in remote setups. Under its federal labour law amendments and, more importantly, the NOM‑037‑STPS‑2023 (“Telework – Safety and Health Conditions at Work”), published 8 June 2023 and effective from 5 December 2023, remote workers are granted detailed protections. (jdsupra.com)
Key features:
- The standard applies when employees spend more than 40 % of their working time in telework/remote mode. (trejogutierrez.com)
- Employers must maintain an updated register of teleworkers (including address, equipment provided, etc.). (ey.com)
- They must produce a written telework policy, cover equipment, ensure proper lighting, ventilation, connectivity, and ergonomically appropriate furniture and workspace. (trejogutierrez.com)
- The standard explicitly addresses ergonomic risks (“…the employee must have a comfortable workplace that avoids back, shoulder or neck strains.”) (ey.com)
- Employers face fines for non-compliance (from about MXN 5,187 to MXN 518,700) when enforcement begins. (mondaq.com)
Why it matters:
Mexico’s approach is detailed and prescriptive—assigning explicit ergonomics standards in remote settings and shifting part of the responsibility to the employer. For multinational employers and remote-work-friendly firms, this clarity is a strong compliance benefit.
2. Portugal
Portugal is another standout, thanks to its legal reforms around telework and ergonomics. The key instrument is Law No 83/2021 of 6 December 2021 (amending its Labour Code) and subsequent legislation dealing with health & safety and telework. (Library of Congress)
Key features:
- Telework is defined in the Labour Code and must be based on a written agreement, either in the employment contract or via separate addendum. (Library of Congress)
- The employer must provide necessary systems and equipment. (Library of Congress)
- Teleworkers have the same rights as other employees (for promotion, insurance, holidays, etc.). (Eurofound)
- Crucially, the law obliges employers to respect rest periods and limits contact outside working hours (i.e., “right to disconnect”). (Eurofound)
- On the ergonomics/health & safety side: According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) summary, telework regulation in Portugal obliges employers to comply with minimum health and safety requirements, including for display screen equipment and ergonomic posture.
Why it matters:
By combining telework contractual formalities, protections for equipment and costs, rights to disconnect, and explicit employer health & safety obligations (including ergonomics and workstation standards), Portugal offers a comprehensive compliance framework for remote working.
3. Ireland
Ireland has made strong regulatory guidance on remote-work ergonomics and risk assessment. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) of Ireland prohibits employers from treating remote-work sites as exempt from safety law.
Their guidance “Ergonomics – Remote Working” states that even when employees are working remotely (from home or other remote location) the employer remains responsible for the safety and health of the employee, including ergonomic assessments and controls.
Key features:
- The employer must assess the risks for each remote worker (including ergonomics) and ensure appropriate controls. (HSA)
- A “Remote Working Assessment Checklist” is provided for employers to systematically evaluate remote workstations. (HSA)
- While not all detail is in statute, this guidance is enforceable under Ireland’s general health & safety laws, meaning remote-work ergonomics are legally material.
Why it matters:
The Irish system emphasises employer risk assessment and ongoing duty for ergonomics in remote work contexts. For remote-worker compliance programs, this means that even absent highly prescriptive legislation, there is clear obligation and reasonable expectation of compliance.
4. Denmark
Denmark is notable for its updated guidelines from the Danish Working Environment Authority (Arbejdstilsynet) regarding home-workstations. On 30 April 2022 the Authority issued new and updated guidelines on the occupational health and safety requirements for homework stations (screen-based work) – noting that the guidelines apply to employees who regularly perform screen-based work away from the employer’s premises. (Lockton)
Key features:
- The updated guidelines apply to remote workers (more than two days per week on average over a month) who perform screen-based work. (Lockton)
- Employers must ensure the home working environment is safe and ergonomic. While not fully legislative in nature, the guidelines are recognised by the working-environment authority and hence carry compliance weight.
Given the broad coverage (including remote work) and strong employer obligations, the Netherlands merits inclusion among the top countries for ergonomic workplace legislation.
Why it matters:
While perhaps less fully codified than some laws, Denmark’s guidance provides clarity about employer-responsibility for ergonomics in remote settings. For organisations with Danish operations, these guidelines create practical obligations for home workstation design and monitoring.
5. Czech Republic
The Czech Reepublic has introduced specific telework legislation including ergonomic/health aspects. The Czech government introduced legislation requiring remote work to be agreed in writing; remote workers are entitled to reimbursement of work-related expenses. (Lockton)
Key features:
- Written remote-work agreements are required.
- Czechia enforces reimbursement of work-related expenses like equipment or workstation costs.
Why it matters:
While perhaps not as ergonomics-rich or prescriptive as Mexico or Portugal, the Czech Republic’s framework ensures formal agreements and cost allocation which supports ergonomic compliance in remote setups. It represents a growing class of jurisdictions that treat remote-work ergonomics seriously.
Conclusion
Remote working is here to stay—and so is the need for ergonomic compliance. The five jurisdictions above illustrate different approaches: from full-blown ergonomics-specific standards (Mexico), to strong telework laws with ergonomics embedded (Portugal), to employer-duty and guidance frameworks (Ireland), to newer guidelines (Denmark), to formal contracting and expense reimbursement (Czech Republic).
If you are an employer, HR professional or remote worker, the implications are clear:
- Formal remote-work agreements are increasingly the norm.
- Employers are being required to provide or reimburse for ergonomic equipment and ensure home-workstations meet health & safety standards.
- Risk assessment and ergonomics aren’t optional—they are increasingly regulated.
- The “right to disconnect”, monitoring of work hours, and surveillance of remote staff are also part of remote-work frameworks.
As remote working becomes more embedded globally, these legal frameworks will evolve further. Organisations that proactively design ergonomic-compliant remote-work policies today are likely to avoid compliance risk and support healthier, more productive workforces.
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