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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:
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.

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.

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.

BlondeMummyto1 · 28/03/2025 08:11

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

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.

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).

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.

Hoppinggreen · 28/03/2025 08:14

As every has already said you need to check with your employer.
I am a Freelancer and I tried to work from Spain last year and found I couldn't access anything.
Luckily DH is very teccy and managed to patch me into our home wifi
DH is SE but can only work from our home Wifi for security reasons, he wouldn't risk it as he would lose his contract straight away

LittleMy77 · 28/03/2025 08:16

Depends on your company. Ours only allow it if we have an office in that country and you’re legally allowed to work there

Cucy · 28/03/2025 08:16

I think it would be a waste of money.

Would it not be better to go on an actual holiday and be able to switch off from work completely.

Relit · 28/03/2025 08:17

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Relit · 28/03/2025 08:18

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Crunchymum · 28/03/2025 08:18

My colleague does. They go off to France a few times a year and work from their holiday home (they may take a few days AL but often don't). If I didn't know they were away - they tell me - then there is genuinely no sign of it in terms of work / availability etc. They are as conscientious as always.

I'm not sure they've been entirely honest with our manager though. They've had permission to work from another location in the UK and manager said "as long as you are fully available and are able to keep your work commitments I don't mind where you work from" - on this basis they go over to France every few months.

We have offices in Paris so know we can legally operate in France. Our manager is in New York.

CloudSquirrel · 28/03/2025 08:19

Gross misconduct where i work - not allowed to take laptop or phone out of the UK without permission. IT would know from your IP address and you'd be fired.

newtb · 28/03/2025 08:20

To work in France your company needs to have a french subsidiary so that the social charges can bé paid. Thé équivalent of NI and are high.

GRex · 28/03/2025 08:21

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.

Your point about moving data is correct that there are many prohibited territories You're incorrect to include the UK though, these are the allowed third countries: https://gdpr-info.eu/issues/third-countries/#:~:text=The%20third%20countries%20which%20ensure,these%20countries%20is%20expressly%20permitted.

OP - just ask your HR, if it's OK then they will let you know the rules for your particular company. Usually time limit, insurance and network security (VPN, not Russia etc). Also think about how it will work practically; if you usually use screens or are somewhere with poor general wifi then it could be an issue; in those cases it can be worth identifying shared office space to rent while you're there. If you have any local clients or colleagues to meet then worth building that into your request.

Tricho · 28/03/2025 08:22

I've dome the odd day in mainland Europe, usually Friday vegore a weekend away

My company travels a lot though globally so they don't bat an eyelid data wise

TerribleGardener · 28/03/2025 08:24

In my organisation we are not allowed to take our work laptops or phones into another country so wouldn't be possible, but we are public sector so could be a security thing. I guess it depends on your employer.

BlondiePortz · 28/03/2025 08:26

What does your contract say?

Busymindfull · 28/03/2025 08:29

It is not allowed in my Company. I believe someone was caught doing it once. What is your company policy?

Relit · 28/03/2025 08:32

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

FrozenFeathers · 28/03/2025 08:32

I can do this, as long as I have my employer's approval. It has mostly to do with data security. Access to our systems is restricted from some countries and if I suddenly login from a different location than I normally am, they are going to have questions.

Doggymummar · 28/03/2025 08:33

My partner works for an international bank and they are only allowed to work overseas when on a contract. However we were on holiday one time in Singapore and he was required to login and so went to a local branch as he didn't have his laptop with him. It was a huge (banking) emergency. I work for a small company and we have no policy. I worked from Greece last summer with no issue. So ask them would be my advice

IpsyUpsyDaisyDoos · 28/03/2025 08:34

We can work from abroad if agreed with the company and the country is on the "safe" list. It's due to data protection etc and internet security.

Check with your employer.

FumbDucker · 28/03/2025 08:36

One of my direct reports was caught out when IT emailed me asking why she was logging on from Jamaica….