Working from home and remote work in Montenegro 2026: what the contract must say, who pays for equipment and costs and what applies in emergencies

The amendments to the Labour Law (Official Gazette 51/2026), in force since 23 April 2026, rewrote the rules on work outside the employer's premises, which covers remote work and working from home using information technology. Such work is possible when the nature of the job allows it and it is provided for in the job description. The employer must provide working conditions, tools and equipment, and the contract must set out working hours, how work is supervised and reimbursement of costs. An employee working from home has all the rights of one in the office. In an emergency such as an epidemic, earthquake or flood, home working can be agreed without changing the contract, but if it lasts more than 30 days, the employer offers a contract addendum. This guide covers people employed by an employer in Montenegro.

This guide explains when working from home is possible, what the contract must contain, who pays for equipment and costs, what applies in emergencies and how parents can ask to work from home.

When is working from home possible?

• Employment for work outside the employer's premises is possible when the nature of the job allows it and such work is provided for in the job description of the post.
• Work outside the employer's premises covers remote work and working from home using information technology.
• If your contract does not provide for such a job description, you or the employer can offer a change to the contract, an addendum.
• If you refuse an addendum for home working, you may not suffer any detriment because of it.
• The employer keeps a register of contracts for work outside its premises and informs the labour inspectorate about them.

What must a home working contract contain?

Besides the details every employment contract contains, a contract for work outside the employer's premises contains:

Who pays for equipment and costs?

• The employer must provide suitable working conditions, tools and equipment to employees working outside its premises.
• If you use your own equipment, the contract sets the reimbursement of costs for its use.
• An employer that fails to provide conditions, tools and equipment faces a fine of 2,000 to 20,000 euros, the responsible person 200 to 2,000 euros and a sole trader 500 to 6,000 euros.
• An employee working outside the employer's premises has all the rights and obligations of an employee on the premises, including pay, rest and health and safety at work.
• The labour inspectorate can ban work outside the employer's premises when there is an immediate danger to employees' life and health or the work endangers the environment.

What applies in emergencies?

• During a declared epidemic of an infectious disease, an earthquake, flood, environmental incident, fire or industrial accident, the employer can agree with an employee on work outside its premises without changing the employment contract.
• If such work lasts more than 30 days, the employer offers you a change to the employment contract immediately after that period.
• The change to the contract lasts until the emergency ends.
• An employer that does not offer the change after 30 days faces a fine of 2,000 to 20,000 euros.

How can parents ask to work from home?

• After maternity, paternity, parental or adoption leave you can ask in writing for work outside the employer's premises or a change in working hours.
• The employer can allow it if the work process permits, and if it refuses, it must give reasons.
• You can make the same request after unpaid leave to care for a family member with a serious illness.
• A request for more flexible working conditions cannot be a valid reason for dismissal.

The new paternity and parental leave is covered in our guide to paternity leave, and working time, overtime and rest in our guide to annual leave and overtime. Health and safety at work is covered in our guide to workplace injury, and other changes from the same amendments in our guide to equal pay.

Frequently asked questions

Must my employer pay for home working equipment? Yes, the employer must provide suitable working conditions, tools and equipment, and if you use your own equipment, the contract sets the reimbursement of costs.

Can my employer make me work from home? When home working is not in your job description, the employer can offer you an addendum, and if you refuse it, you may not suffer any detriment. In emergencies home working is agreed with you without changing the contract.

What must a home working contract say? The type of work and how it is organised, the working time schedule, working conditions and supervision, the use of your own equipment and reimbursement of costs, and other rights and obligations.

What if I work from home for more than a month because of a flood or epidemic? If work outside the employer's premises in an emergency lasts more than 30 days, the employer offers you a change to the contract that lasts until the emergency ends.

Do I have the same rights when I work from home? Yes, an employee working outside the employer's premises has all the rights and obligations of an employee on the premises.

Can I ask to work from home after maternity leave? Yes, in writing, and an employer that refuses the request must give reasons.

Sources

Work outside the employer's premises, the contract's content, equipment, emergencies, parents' requests and fines are set by the Law amending the Labour Law (Official Gazette of Montenegro 51/2026, Articles 18, 19, 20, 27, 37, 49 and 60), and the register of such contracts and a ban on the work because of danger by the consolidated text of the Labour Law (Article 43). The information was checked on 28 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; this text is not legal advice.