Employers want tax-free home working allowance | Money

This is reported by the employers’ association AWVN, which questioned hundreds of members about this. Because even after the corona crisis, the vast majority of employers expect working from home to become the norm and employees to work from home at least two days a week, says the employers’ association.

Travel expenses

Employers can still pay out travel expenses tax-free, but this benefit will expire on 1 January 2021. In addition, there is still no tax benefit for a home working allowance. Two in five employers say to the AWVN that current tax legislation restricts them from paying out money for working from home.

According to budget institute Nibud, working from home costs about € 2 per day extra in energy costs, water, coffee, tea and toilet paper.

Costs incurred

Most of the respondents indicate that they want to adjust the existing allowances for travel expenses and working from home. Employers then consider a home work allowance and a lower amount for travel expenses. Employers also want to get rid of the fixed travel allowance and only pay for the travel expenses incurred.

The AWVN advises employers who want to pay the travel and home work costs to make a special budget per employee for this.

Public sector

One in five employers who took part in the AWVN survey said they already pay a homeworking allowance to employees. This happens especially in the public sector and at larger organizations. Usually employees do indeed receive € 2 per day.

The vast majority of respondents provide employees with working from home. For example, employees are given a desk or office chair, but also computers, mobile telephones or other equipment such as printers and monitors.

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