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ABC News
ABC News
National
By Jedda Costa

Regional businesses call for end to 'short-sighted' work-from-home rules

Bookkeepers Chelsea Wheeler, Shaun Sullivan and Catherine Zenner considered to returning to work despite the extension of the Victorian Government's work-from-home directive.

Gippsland businesses are calling for a softening of work-from-home restrictions for people in regional areas where there are no active COVID-19 cases.

The Victorian Government reimposed tight rules this week due to a spike of coronavirus cases in Melbourne.

Employees have been directed to work from home if they're able until the end of July.

Elite Bookkeeping Solutions manager Catherine Zenner said the restrictions were unreasonable for workers who didn't live in hotspots.

"It's a little short-sighted in putting a blanket restriction across the whole state," she said.

"I understand that they have to start somewhere but ultimately the restrictions were put in place to cover people in the city… and the rules just don't apply to us here in the regions."

There are 163 active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria. The state recorded its ninth consecutive day of double-digit case growth this week.

The majority was in Melbourne, and Gippsland had only one active case, in Latrobe Valley.

Ms Zenner and her 11 employees were all set to return to work, when restrictions were reimposed.

Businesses not complying with the rules can be fined up to $100,000.

Nationals Member for South Gippsland Danny O'Brien said the remote working requirements were hurting regional businesses.

"It's certainly less efficient for many businesses," Mr O'Brien said.

"It's causing them a lot of grief, making it difficult to serve their customers and I think there should be a bit of flexibility allowed."

Helping people adjust to working from home

Willow Grove woman Leah Mether runs her own communications business and has been working from home for about nine years.

"This [working from home] is impacting everyone so differently," she said.

"Some people are really struggling to stay engaged and procrastinating. But I'm also finding people at the other end of the spectrum where they are really under incredible pressure," she said.

But now with a possible second wave of COVID-19 in Victoria's midst Ms Mether said people had to keep working at home, despite thinking earlier this week that restrictions would ease.

"We've got another month of it now and I think there's a lot of lessons people have learnt along the way," she said.

"I think a lot of organisations now are realising ... some people are performing a lot better working from home.

"Prioritise self-care first or the else you’ll crash and burn."

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