Telecommuting / Remote Work Agreement

An agreement that sets where, when and how an employee works remotely: place, working time, equipment, costs, data security and how to end the arrangement.

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Telecommuting / Remote Work Agreement: infographic with a sketch of the document, when to use it, common mistakes and the country versions.
13 clauses, 2 parties, 2 signatures, 2 checklists.

Country versions

  • International
  • Korea *
  • Japan *
  • Germany *

* check with local advice

A template, not advice.

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What it is

A remote work agreement records how an employee works away from the employer's office: from where, on which days, in which hours, with what equipment, who pays the running costs, how company data is protected and how the arrangement can end. The employment itself stays under the employment contract. This agreement adds the practical rules around working at home or elsewhere, so that neither side has to guess.

Most disputes about remote work are about the same few things: whether working time is recorded and what happens with overtime, who pays for internet and electricity, whether the employee may work from another address or country, what the employer may look at in someone's home, and how data is kept safe. The form has a clause for each, and a checklist for the equipment and security measures so that what the parties agreed is visible on one page.

The country selector adds what local practice and law expect. In Korea the Labor Standards Act applies at home as in the office, and costs put on the worker belong in the work rules. In Japan the place of work is a stated working condition, and the treatment of time away from work during the day is settled in writing. In Germany the form separates mobile work from a Telearbeitsplatz under the Workplace Ordinance, records working time as the Working Time Act asks, and offers only an allowance or reimbursement against receipts because the employer has to reimburse necessary expenses. The form says nothing about tax; ask an adviser about the tax and social security effects of working from another country.

When to use it
  • An employee starts working from home on some or all days and the employer wants the terms in writing.
  • An informal home-office habit needs written rules on hours, equipment and data.
  • A trial of remote work needs a review date and a clear way out.
  • A works council, a policy or an auditor asks for a written basis for remote work.
How to fill it in
  1. Choose your country first; some clauses and notes change with it.
  2. Your company details come from your saved details; enter the employee and, if you like, the date of the employment contract.
  3. Choose hybrid or fully remote, name the office days and the place of remote work, and set the start date and a review date.
  4. Set the reachable hours and decide whether working time is recorded and where.
  5. Tick the equipment the employer provides and choose how running costs are covered.
  6. Tick the security measures, set the notice period for ending the arrangement and have both sides sign.
Common mistakes
  • Leaving working time unrecorded and then arguing about overtime.
  • Saying nothing about who pays for internet and electricity.
  • Allowing work from another country without checking the legal and insurance consequences first.
  • Handing out equipment without ticking it off, so no one knows what must come back.
  • Giving the employer a right to enter the home workplace at any time.
  • Treating the agreement as a replacement for the employment contract or the company policy.
Steps at a glance
  1. Fill in
  2. Check the preview
  3. Save as PDF, Word or Excel
Country versions

Pick the country you need. Each version uses the wording and layout commonly found there; a version marked “check with local advice” should be read by someone who knows the local rules before it is used.

  • International (XX): Written in English, Korean, Japanese, German
  • Korea (KR): Written in Korean, English – check with local advice
  • Japan (JP): Written in Japanese, English – check with local advice
  • Germany (DE): Written in German, English – check with local advice

Designs

The same form in several designs. The fields and the wording stay the same; only the look changes.

  • Formal
  • Executive
  • Classic
  • Plain (black and white)
  • Minimal
  • Ledger
  • Modern
  • Compact
  • Side band
  • Warm
  • Boxed form
  • Banner

Your details fill it in

Fields that ask for your name, address or company details are filled from My details, so you do not type them again; you can still change any field for one form. Signed in, your details stay in your account; otherwise they stay in this browser only. A passport, identity or social security number is never saved.

Questions

Does an employee have a right to work remotely?
In many countries there is no general right to work remotely, although some give a right to ask for it. This form records an arrangement that both sides have agreed. Check your contract, the company policy and the law of your country about whether a request can be refused.
Who pays for internet and electricity?
It depends on the country and on what you agree. The form offers a fixed monthly allowance, reimbursement against receipts, or the employee bearing ordinary costs where that is lawful. In Germany the employer has to reimburse necessary expenses, and in Korea and Japan costs put on the worker belong in the work rules.
Can the employer check the home workplace?
Only by prior agreement. A home is private, and in some countries entering it needs the occupant's consent. The form says the employer may inspect the workplace only by agreement and can ask for a description instead.
Can the employee work from another country?
Only with the employer's written approval. Working from abroad can change which legal, insurance and data-protection rules apply. The form does not say anything about tax; get advice on those effects before you agree.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a general template. Working time, costs, safety and data protection are partly set by law and by collective agreements, so check them for your country and workplace and have an adviser look at anything unusual.
Is this form legal, tax or accounting advice?
No. It is a template: it gives you the usual structure and wording, not advice. Rules differ by country and case, so have someone qualified read anything that matters before you sign, send or file it.
Which countries and designs does it come in?
It comes in 4 country versions: International, Korea, Japan, and Germany. 12 designs.

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A form is a template, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules differ by country and case.