Victorian Premier Ben Carroll is considering amendments to the state's work-from-home legislation, including a potential exemption for small businesses, according to the AFR.
The bill, which passed the Legislative Assembly last month, would give eligible Victorian employees the right to work from home two days a week where their role can reasonably be done remotely. The law would sit inside the Equal Opportunity Act 2010.
The government had previously ruled out exemptions for small businesses, saying firms with fewer than 15 employees would get extra time to comply but would not be exempt. That position now appears to be under review.
Why this matters for sales teams
If you are managing a sales team in Victoria, this affects hiring, territory design, and comp structure. The legislation would require employers to respond to WFH requests within 21 days and cover reasonable remote-work costs.
For enterprise sales teams already operating hybrid models, this codifies what you are likely doing already. For SMB-focused sellers or startups running lean teams, the compliance burden is the issue. Business groups say it increases injury-liability exposure and administrative costs, which is why they are pushing for carve-outs.
An estimated 1.3 million Victorians work for small businesses. If the law applies across the board, territory planning gets more complex: you cannot assume face-to-face collaboration or office-based training for new AEs.
What is next
Carroll has reportedly restarted consultation with business groups. The bill still needs to pass the Upper House. Watch for potential amendments around small-business thresholds, response timeframes, or cost-coverage requirements.
For now, if you are hiring AEs or SDRs in Victoria, assume hybrid work is table stakes. The question is whether compliance requirements change your ramp timeline or onboarding structure.