Teleworkers worked more overtime and (naturally) often worked with a computer. With regard to their working conditions, teleworkers have experienced many degrees of freedom (autonomy) in their work and a wide variety of tasks. In addition, they found their managers supportive. However, teleworkers have also faced a significant workload. In addition, the introduction of telework constantly raises the question of whether and to what extent workers` representatives and/or public authorities should be involved. Again, national regulations are very different. In some cases, workers` representatives have genuine rights of participation, in others, workers` representatives do not even need to be informed. Rather, an obligation for the participation of public authorities is the exception. As telework covers a wide range of rapidly changing circumstances, the social partners have chosen a definition of telework that includes different forms of ordinary telework. The agreement focuses on several key areas that need to take into account the specificities of telework, namely: the sectors where teleworking is particularly prevalent are financial and business services, education and the public sector. The sub-sectors that stand out are, of course, the ICT sector, followed by the higher education sector.
In sectors such as manufacturing, construction, health, transport, catering and agriculture, teleworking is a relatively marginal activity [12]. Such differences are obviously partly related to the nature of the work, which is more or less adapted to teleworking. As part of the European Employment Strategy, the European Council invited the social partners to negotiate agreements to modernise work organisation, including flexible working rules, in order to make enterprises productive and competitive and to achieve the necessary balance between flexibility and security. Employees who have the opportunity to work remotely are often expected to benefit from greater flexibility in the way they work with colleagues, a better balance in their personal work situation, and increased flexibility in working time [14]. Finally, employers need an overview of the liability issues related to telework. It is worth considering in more detail whether and to what extent the employer is responsible for accidents at work during teleworking, whether and to what extent (statutory) accident insurance covers damage or whether supplementary insurance is necessary for daily risks. The question also arises as to who is liable if the employer`s or worker`s property is held by the employee or by third parties (e.g. .