Workers without a fixed office should be paid for the time they spend travelling to and from work at the beginning and end of each day, according to Europe’s highest court.
The European Court of Justice has ruled the journeys should count as working time under health and safety laws and workers should be able to charge for the time they take, The Independent reported.
Companies employing electricians, gas fitters, care workers and sales reps could now be in breach of EU working time regulations, if they choose to abandon a regional office.
The ruling came as a result of a legal case in Spain involving security systems company Tyco.
“The fact that the workers begin and finish the journeys at their homes stems directly from the decision of their employer to abolish the regional offices and not from the desire of the workers themselves,” The Independent reported the ruling as saying.
“Requiring them to bear the burden of their employer’s choice would be contrary to the objective of protecting the safety and health of workers pursued by the directive, which includes the necessity of guaranteeing workers a minimum rest period.”