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Original poster

To go abroad when working from home?

307 replies

StreakOfTheWeek · 28/03/2025 07:45

If I went to Italy or France or Spain or wherever... and logged in and did my work - would this be wrong?
I work 8-2 Mon - Thurs normally
Never have to go into office, except for 4 meetings a year.

And I would work as usual, and thought I could then spend the afternoons exploring and taking it all in.

There's nothing wrong with my idea, is there??

OP posts:
ForPlumReader · 28/03/2025 08:14

You'd need to check with your employer, our doesn't allow laptops to be taken out if the UK without prior permission.

Rewis · 28/03/2025 08:13

Depends on your company. My brothers company allows it (but they're internarional anyway). My company allows it only on special circumstances with managers permission. Nobody has yet been approved. I have done one day once without permission due to flight delay (but this was before we had a policy on working abroad).

PurBal · 28/03/2025 08:13

Even if your company let you, visa requirements would be the big thing. You can’t work whilst on holiday.

BlondeMummyto1 · 28/03/2025 08:11

Just take the four days as annual leave!?!?

RosesAndHellebores · 28/03/2025 08:08

I work in France for a few weeks two or three times a year. I have my Employer's permission, it has to be reported for insurance purposes. There should be a policy and tax can be an issue for long periods. My permission letter clearly states all tax liabilities and health insurance liabilities are mine.

We have a home in France, so I'm not necessarily on a/l when there.

whatdoyouthink123456 · 28/03/2025 08:08

just ask. My company has a ‘working elsewhere’ policy. I think it’s 3 weeks a year or something. Iv never used it, but it’s promoted.

pickywatermelon · 28/03/2025 08:07

RedToothBrush · 28/03/2025 07:56

Legally do you have the right to work in any of those countries?
What is your job? Anything that involves moving data moving in and out of the EU is no longer allowed due to Brexit.
Who does the laptop belong to? If it's a company laptop and company data it probably isn't insured for the above reasons.

DH is prohibited from doing this unless he has prior approval and is either on a designated business meeting and works out of a branch office.

It's basically no longer possible to do.

This - are you legally allowed to actually work, tax etc

Just had to do a rapid country-office transfer of an employee who was a muppet and thought they could randomly work from another country

Another guy was put on long term unpaid as we had no legal entity and he had no right to work

Don’t be naive.

Barleypilaf · 28/03/2025 08:06

You need to ask permission first. My firm just sacked someone for doing this without permission.

Mynewnameis · 28/03/2025 08:05

Strictly forbidden where I work. People with family in Europe are pretty unhappy about it.

ThatsNotMyTeen · 28/03/2025 08:05

It depends if your employer lets you. We used to be allowed to but now expressly are not.

gannett · 28/03/2025 08:04

My company would be OK with this. I haven't done it yet myself but I asked a couple of months ago on account of feeling I couldn't endure another British February. Didn't think it'd be a problem and it wasn't.

ShaunaSadeki · 28/03/2025 08:04

We have a policy in place for this and it is allowed, but has to be requested and any legal and tax implications are completely down to the employee to check

Crazyclover · 28/03/2025 08:04

Our work laptops won’t work outside of the uk and at a previous role three people were fired for logging in abroad so I would book annual leave if I was you

Annettecurtaintwitcher · 28/03/2025 08:04

You would have to approve it with employer first. Depending on how much tech/security they use, they might know if you logged in from a foreign IP address.

WeirdyBeardyMarrowBabyLady · 28/03/2025 08:02

Definitely check your overseas working policy. Ours allows it for up to two weeks and in very limited circumstances (eg close family member terminal illness).

Whyherewego · 28/03/2025 08:00

We block a bunch of countries in our firewall. So whilst we wouldn't know you went abroad, you'd struggle to log in to certain applications.
My DS friend went to Oz over Xmas, he couldn't use the school software for revision as their licence agreement didn't cover Oz. Microsoft in particular is hot on this and will geo locate you.
So it's a risk doing it without asking permission

Randomer27 · 28/03/2025 07:58

StreakOfTheWeek · 28/03/2025 07:45

If I went to Italy or France or Spain or wherever... and logged in and did my work - would this be wrong?
I work 8-2 Mon - Thurs normally
Never have to go into office, except for 4 meetings a year.

And I would work as usual, and thought I could then spend the afternoons exploring and taking it all in.

There's nothing wrong with my idea, is there??

We have a policy about this, and I would definitely check and get written approval beforehand.

As an example a friend is a data scientist for healthcare data, and sometimes goes to the states to do the work, because it would breach GDPR to do it in the UK or EU.

You need to get it approved

SunnySideDeepDown · 28/03/2025 07:57

Charlotte120221 · 28/03/2025 07:47

Some employers don’t allow it.

can cause tax issues.

personally know I’d struggle to concentrate if I was somewhere lovely…

This. My friend was told to return to the UK or resign. He resigned.

IT found out through his IP address that he was abroad.

RedToothBrush · 28/03/2025 07:56

Legally do you have the right to work in any of those countries?
What is your job? Anything that involves moving data moving in and out of the EU is no longer allowed due to Brexit.
Who does the laptop belong to? If it's a company laptop and company data it probably isn't insured for the above reasons.

DH is prohibited from doing this unless he has prior approval and is either on a designated business meeting and works out of a branch office.

It's basically no longer possible to do.

kirinm · 28/03/2025 07:55

My employer permits working from abroad but for a maximum of 3 weeks a year. You couldn’t just disappear off without permission though.

Jellycatspyjamas · 28/03/2025 07:54

My employer would be fine with it for a period of time, just ask.

RockahulaRocks · 28/03/2025 07:53

We have a “work from anywhere for x weeks a year” policy at work and there’s quite a big section around all the insurance (company property and adequate health cover), tax, security and any legal & regulatory requirements, as well as the fact you may need a work permit or visa to work in some places. Probably overkill as many company policies are but worth a bit more thought.

TheJollyMoose · 28/03/2025 07:53

They will know immediately where you are when you log on.

If you don’t think there’s an issue with it, just tell them.

MaggieBsBoat · 28/03/2025 07:52

You need to check their policy and data security set up. Do you use a vpn? What data will you be accessing?
In principle it’s ok but only if they allow it as it has security ramifications.

G5000 · 28/03/2025 07:51

check your employer's policy, as pp said, this can have implications. We are allowed to work from abroad 20 days per year, any longer requires specific approval.

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