Whilst some countries such as the Netherlands have already established laws governing the working from home, the United States labor laws do not currently include a right to work from home. In other words, it is entirely at the discretion of the employer to permit flexible working or home working. A home office law as such does not exist. However, under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), some employees with special medical conditions or those closely caring for others with medical conditions may be able to apply to work from home.
Employees who do not fall under the FMLA special criteria are generally not entitled to work from a home office. The decision whether staff can work flexibly lies with the employer. If no provisions for working from home exist in a business, employees can raise a relevant inquiry. However, company owners are not legally required to comply and can reject applications for home working.