Italy's Law 34/2026 imposes new safety obligations on remote workers' employers
Italy’s Law 34/2026, effective from April 7, requires employers to issue annual written risk-assessment notices to every remote worker covering display-screen hazards, ergonomic risks, and psychosocial factors. Company directors face up to four months’ imprisonment and fines exceeding EUR 7,400 for non-compliance. The law applies to all cross-border assignees working remotely from Italy, not just Italian nationals.
Why this matters
This is one of the strictest remote work safety regimes in Europe. If you work remotely from Italy for a foreign employer — including under Italy’s digital nomad visa or the impatriate tax regime — your employer now has a legal obligation to provide annual written risk assessments specific to your remote working conditions. The criminal liability provision (imprisonment for directors) is unusually aggressive and signals Italy’s intent to treat remote work as a regulated workplace, not an informal arrangement.
For freelancers and self-employed remote workers, the law’s scope is narrower — it targets the employer-employee relationship. But if you contract through an intermediary or have an employment relationship structured through an Italian entity, these obligations likely apply.
What to watch
Enforcement timelines and inspection capacity will determine whether this law has real teeth. Italy’s labour inspectorate is already stretched, and remote work environments are inherently harder to inspect than physical offices. However, the criminal sanctions create a compliance incentive that most employers will take seriously. Companies hiring remote workers in Italy should update their remote work policies and risk assessment templates before the first inspection cycle.
For more on Italy’s digital nomad landscape, see our guide on getting a remote job in Italy with a digital nomad visa. If you are weighing Italy against other European destinations, our freelancing in Italy (Partita IVA) guide covers the self-employment side, while our EOR options across Europe may be relevant if your employer needs a compliant structure for remote workers based in Italy.