Legal Regulation of Remote Labor: Russian Experience

A new surge of international activity on remote work came in 2020 as a natural response by states and international organizations to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the sudden and extraordinary situation associated with the pandemic and the arising need of transition to telecommuting, neither employers nor employees were prepared to deal with all the associated problems, whether legal, organizational, psychological, or infrastructural. In this study, the issues of remote employment are considered in the context of the Russian experience of massive transition to such an alternative method of labor organization in the spring of 2020. It analyzes the changes made to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation in terms of regulating remote work. The research notes legal, organizational and infrastructural measures taken by the Russian government in order to respond promptly to the changing conditions of the modern labor market and to ensure social protection of citizens. The author also presents recommendations on further improvement of the legal regulation of distance work in Russia.