A Québec solidaire government would allow all workers who can and wish to benefit from part-time telecommuting, a formula appreciated by many Quebecers which has proven its worth during the pandemic.

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There are jobs that do not lend themselves to working from home. Students need to be close to their teacher and patients need to be seen generally in person by their caregivers. But confinement has shown that several jobs can be done remotely.

Solidarity MP Alexandre Leduc thus proposes to create a “right to telework”, which would allow employees to work from home part-time, that is to say up to a maximum of 50% of the time.

“The pandemic has massiveized a phenomenon that was originally very marginal: teleworking. It was imposed at the time for health reasons, but many people have taken a liking to it, ”he notes.

The boss decides

But right now, it's the boss who has the big end of the stick and who decides whether or not to allow his employees to work from home.

By including it in black and white in labor standards, employees, whether unionized or not, would have their say. “The employer could not just say no. If he said no, he would have to justify it, ”says the member for Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.

It is the CNESST that would be empowered to decide, much as it already does for the right to accommodation of pregnant women.

MP Leduc is convinced that there is an “appetite” for this work formula, which makes life easier for many Quebecers.

“The unions are sending us positive signals that their members want to keep some telework, in cases where it applies of course, so we think we can innovate in Quebec,” he insists.

Good for the environment

Le solidaire points out that many citizens must devote a large part of their day to transportation to get to the office.

Working from home helps to reduce this precious wasted time. “There are gains for the environment, for mental health, for work-family balance. »

Alexandre Leduc is convinced that some employers also see advantages, particularly in terms of saving space.

This is the case with the government. Part-time telecommuting is now the norm among state employees. In the last two years, the ministries have been deserted. But if they have been back in person since the beginning of April, civil servants work from home half the week.