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An employer did not have to grant an employee's flexible work request but has been encouraged to explore reasonable adjustments, to address his concerns about catching COVID at work and potentially impacting his wife's IVF treatment.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission employee and his wife, who has endometriosis, have been undergoing invitro-fertilisation (IVF), and are concerned that contracting COVID-19 could harm their chances of a successful pregnancy.

To minimise this risk, the employee requested to work mostly from home for 12-week blocks at a time, for up to five years. But the employer refused, noting its home-based work policy required employees to attend the office at least two days each week.

The employee then proposed working remotely three days per week and taking personal/carer's leave for the remaining two days...