Myer Melbourne staff face five-day office requirement from 2027
Myer has reportedly told its Melbourne corporate staff to work in the office five days a week from 2027, ending existing work-from-home arrangements. The change matters because it comes as Victoria considers legislation that would give eligible employees the right to work from home two days a week where their role allows.
The policy was reportedly announced at an all-staff meeting in early October, and several employees told the Australian Financial Review their arrangements had been cancelled; Myer has not officially commented. The company plans to move more than 1,000 staff, including employees from recently acquired Apparel Brands, into a new South Melbourne headquarters in November, with flexible work areas and hot desking. Some exceptions are understood to apply, while the Victorian bill has been referred to a parliamentary committee and may remain on hold until after the November state election.
In short
- Myer staff are reportedly expected in the office five days a week from 2027.
- Some exceptions may apply, including for health needs and long commutes.
- Victoria’s proposed work-from-home rights legislation is on hold.
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The case for
Myer could argue that regular office attendance helps teams collaborate, train staff and coordinate work, particularly as more than 1,000 employees move into a shared headquarters. A consistent policy may also make it easier to build a common workplace culture after an acquisition, while allowing exceptions where individual roles or circumstances warrant them.
The case against
Employees could argue that ending established remote-work arrangements reduces flexibility and may impose extra commuting costs and time without clear evidence that every role requires daily office attendance. If the proposed Victorian right becomes law, eligible workers may also have a legitimate expectation of working from home two days a week where their duties allow, making a blanket five-day rule difficult to reconcile with that principle.
Explained simply
Myer is an Australian department store company with corporate teams based in Melbourne. Those teams include staff from Apparel Brands, which Myer acquired, and are due to move into a new South Melbourne headquarters.
Flexible work policies set out when employees can work from home or need to be in the office. Victoria is considering a law that could give some employees the right to work from home two days a week when their jobs allow, so any change in workplace rules could affect both employers and staff.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Myer corporate employees hit out claiming WFH arrangements have been axed by the department store”.