Sydney mother wins Fair Work Commission ruling to work from home with late start for school drop-offs
Consensus Summary
A Sydney mother from Berowra Heights successfully challenged her employer, Reapit Employment Services, at the Fair Work Commission after the company attempted to force her into the office twice a week. The woman, a part-time training and support specialist, had worked remotely since 2016 and relied on flexible hours to drop off her four-year-old and seven-year-old, including a child with special needs. Reapit, which acquired her employer in 2023, initially allowed her to work from home but later cited concerns about team disengagement and company culture to require office days. Despite her boss praising her work and acknowledging no productivity issues, Reapit insisted on in-office attendance. The Fair Work Commission ruled in May 2026 that she could work from home all but one day a fortnight, with a late start of 10:30am on the office day to accommodate her commute and drop-off responsibilities. The decision follows similar rulings under updated workplace flexibility laws introduced by the federal government in 2023.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- A Sydney mother living in Berowra Heights was allowed by the Fair Work Commission to work from home all but one day a fortnight to drop her children at school, with a late start time of 10:30am on the office day.
- The woman had worked remotely since 2016 for her employer, which was acquired by Reapit Employment Services in 2023.
- Reapit initially required staff to work partly from the office in 2024 to integrate the acquired business, citing concerns about 'disengagement' from an employee survey.
- The womanâs flexible working request was denied by Reapit in June 2025, leading her to take the matter to the Fair Work Commission in late May 2026.
- Fair Work Commissioner Alana Matheson ruled in arbitration on May 21, 2026, that the woman could work from home with one office day per fortnight, starting no later than 10:30am.
- The womanâs commute to the Sydney CBD office takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, and public transport timing is similar.
- The woman is a part-time training and support specialist with a four-year-old and a seven-year-old, including a child with special needs requiring additional support during drop-offs.
- Reapitâs hybrid working policy was described as a 'regional directive' unrelated to the womanâs productivity, according to a company representative.
- The new arrangement will take effect from June 8, 2026, with the woman legally obligated to make up the late start hours across the fortnight.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The woman was placed on a temporary performance improvement plan between mid-January and late February 2025, requiring her to 'actively promote positivity' and avoid asking questions on behalf of other staff members.
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Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- No contradictions found between the two sources.
Source Articles
Mum wins WFH rights, late start time, so she can drop kids at school
The Fair Work Commission ruling follows another case last year when a mother who had moved far from her office defeated a return to office mandate.
Mum wins WFH rights, late start time, so she can drop kids at school
The Fair Work Commission ruling follows another case last year when a mother who had moved far from her office defeated a return to office mandate.