This report analyzes current regulation of remote work in the Republic of Moldova, as well as the practical impact of remote work in the country. The report is part of a series supported by the International Lawyers Assisting Workers (ILAW) Network on the regulation and impact of telework in different national contexts. Telework refers to the organisation or performance of work at home or another location other than the employers’ premises through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) Regulations in Moldova use the term “remote work” to refer to this form of employment, so this report also adopts that terminology.

In May 2020, the Moldovan parliament adopted a set of regulations regarding remote work, two months after the declaration of a national state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes introduced telework to the Moldovan labor market, raising many questions and sometimes confusion in the process of implementation of the law. State authorities, the business community and trade unions all believe these regulations and this type of work arrangement will outlast the pandemic. The Moldovan parliament adopted these regulations to address a sudden emergency, and thus they were not drafted with a thorough consideration for all the issues raised by telework.

In response to this context, and with the goal of improving the current legal framework and ensuring fair working conditions for teleworkers in Moldova, this paper will (1) observe the impact of the existing legal regulations, (2) identify international best practices and (3) propose appropriate amendments to current regulatory language