It also includes the duty to respect another person’s right to disconnect, such as by not calling or emailing outside normal working hours. Speaking on Thursday, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment Leo Varadkar said the code comes into effect immediately and applies to all types of employment regardless of whether you are working remotely or not. “The pandemic has transformed working practices, and many of those changes will be long-lasting," Varadkar said. "Although much of the impact of the pandemic has been negative, particularly for those who have lost jobs, income or whose businesses have been closed, it also offers an opportunity to make permanent changes for the better, whether that’s working more from home, having more time with the family, or more flexible working hours.