Understanding Telecommuting Agreements

Telecommuting agreements are contracts between employers and employees whereby employees set out their working conditions for working from home. The rise of flexible working arrangements come with both pros and cons for employers, but there’s no doubt that flexible work arrangements have transformed the modern workplace. Flexible work can also provide you with greater support if you’re a parent going through a divorce and need to work out a parenting plan or child custody arrangements for your child.

A flexible work arrangement or a comprehensive telecommuting agreement can be key for achieving equal parenting rights. There are many different considerations when it comes to family law, ranging from child custody arrangements to child support payments. If you’ve been through the family court system before, you will know that your family lawyer has a duty to you and to the court to present the facts in a way that will get their client the best result possible. But, this doesn’t allow family law solicitors the freedom to pick a definition of flexible work that suits them. This is because flexible work encompasses a range of different agreements intended to promote flexibility in the workplace. From part-time work to job-sharing arrangements, flexible work is a broad term that can also include the proceeding definitions:

Flexible work can also include procedures such as flexible leave and remote work arrangements. The possibilities are endless. It’s easy to see how important flexible work can be for custodial parents and those without shared parenting rights. This is because flexible work allows for the responsibilities of both parents to be shared more evenly. Considering the extent of legal obligations custodial parents have, flexibility is paramount if they are to have any free time to themselves. This is where flexible work comes in. For example, a family lawyer might explain how flexible work could allow custodial parents to still work from home on Fridays while taking care of their children. Likewise, they might argue that remote work is essential for shared parenting arrangements. At the same time, however, the reality is that both custodial parents and their spouse have limited time for work – particularly on the weekends when their children are at home.

Again, the reality means that flexible work arrangements can be a double-edged sword for parents. On the one hand, flexible work can make it easier to commit to equal parenting rights whilst also keeping a full-time job. However, on the other hand, flexible work can undermine your parenting plan if your role is homework intensive and you find it difficult to spend time with your children.

The current legal position is that even though telecommuting agreements are broadly interpreted to include a wide range of work arrangements, no two situations are the same. In other words, the circumstances of each parent and what is in their best interests is different. That said, telecommuting can carry both risks and benefits for parents trying to achieve a shared parenting agreement. That’s why parents going through a divorce should seek legal support from family lawyers with experience in flexible work arrangements.