site.btaTeleworkers Not Required to Respond to Employer during Daily, Weekly Breaks

In the case of teleworking, the employee is not obliged to respond to employer-initiated communication during daily and weekly break periods, unless conditions are agreed in the individual and/or collective agreement under which this is permissible, Parliament decided during its Thursday sitting. The amendments to the Labour Code were adopted at second reading.

The MPs approved the proposal made by Bozhidar Bozhanov of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria that would allow to have more than one place of work specified in the agreement, and the employer can change the place of work for no more than 30 working days per year at the written request of the employee.

An employee, who performs telework, shall organize their own working hours so as to be available and work at times when the employer is in communication with third parties. The actual time worked may also be recorded by an automated attendance system. The employer must provide access to the data in the system upon request.

The MPs also decided that teleworkers should provide the employer with written information about the characteristics of the workplace provided by the employer. In turn, the employer is obliged to ensure that teleworking places meet the minimum requirements for safe and healthy working conditions.

The employer is responsible for ensuring that teleworking sites meet the minimum requirements for safe and healthy working conditions. An employer's liability in the event of an accident or death of a worker may be reduced where the injured worker contributed to the workplace accident by being grossly negligent or failing to follow prescribed occupational health and safety rules and regulations.