The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) is urging new Victorian Premier Ben Carroll to use the Government’s reset as an opportunity to scrap proposed work-from-home legislation.
COSBOA says the Equal Opportunity Amendment (Work from Home) Bill 2026 risks creating additional costs, compliance obligations and uncertainty for small businesses already managing rising costs and a complex workplace relations system.
COSBOA CEO Skye Cappuccio said small businesses are not opposed to flexible work and many already provide these arrangements where they are practical and reasonable.
“Small businesses support flexibility where it works for the employee, the employer and the business,” Ms Cappuccio said.
“Our concern is that Victoria’s proposed work-from-home legislation would add another layer of regulation at a time when small businesses need clarity, simplicity and confidence.
“With Premier Ben Carroll now in place, there is an opportunity for the Victorian Government to pause this Bill and take a fresh look at whether it is necessary, practical or proportionate.”
The proposed legislation would give eligible Victorian employees a presumptive entitlement to work from home for up to two days per week, unless an employer can demonstrate it is not reasonable.
COSBOA has previously raised concerns that the Bill could also require employers to pay reasonable costs necessary to enable an employee to work from home, including hardware, software and secure access to the employer’s information systems.
“For small businesses, these requirements are not minor administrative matters,” Ms Cappuccio said.
“Hardware, software, cybersecurity, secure access and ongoing support all come at a cost. These expenses may be manageable for large organisations, but they can have a much greater impact on small businesses operating on tight margins.”
COSBOA said workplace flexibility is already addressed through Australia’s national workplace relations framework, which requires employers to consider reasonable requests for flexible work.
“Creating a separate Victorian entitlement and dispute process risks duplicating existing laws and making workplace relations more difficult for the small businesses least equipped to absorb extra compliance,” Ms Cappuccio said.
“If the Victorian Government proceeds with the legislation, businesses with fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees should be exempt from its operation.”
COSBOA is calling on the Victorian Government to at least pause the Bill and consult further with small business before proceeding.
“Victoria’s small businesses need workplace laws that are clear, consistent and practical,” Ms Cappuccio said.
“We ask Premier Ben Carroll and the Victorian Government to use this reset to pause, listen to small business and reconsider whether this legislation should proceed.
“At the very least, the Bill should not progress until the practical impacts on small business have been fully assessed. Ideally, the Government should withdraw the proposal and work within the existing national framework.”
