Can something like this happen in the EU with its stronger worker protection laws? Can a company fire you after telling you that you're allowed to relocate then force you RTO?
It's not an EU wide thing, it depends on the country - but quite a few countries now have laws that effectively allow you to work where you choose, putting the burden on employers to prove why you need to be in the office.
Also the worker protection laws in the EU are not that strong. If you feel you are unfairly dismissed you find a lawyer and take the case to an employment tribunal, and if that doesn't work, to court. All of this of course takes a long time and is expensive. And the actual payouts if you win are not that great (half a years salary if you are lucky).
I've read some people online who were hired full remote by Amazon and are now grouped into the full RTO, and that may be illegal in the EU since you're changing their terms of employment without consideration.
However, people hired full in-office, then who went remote, and are now RTO, it seems like there may be less grounds unless they got it in writing that they're now considered full remote.
While the EU is absolutely better for employee rights/protections, it isn't absolute. It depends what you're contracted for.
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Can something like this happen in the EU with its stronger worker protection laws? Can a company fire you after telling you that you're allowed to relocate then force you RTO?
It's not an EU wide thing, it depends on the country - but quite a few countries now have laws that effectively allow you to work where you choose, putting the burden on employers to prove why you need to be in the office.
Also the worker protection laws in the EU are not that strong. If you feel you are unfairly dismissed you find a lawyer and take the case to an employment tribunal, and if that doesn't work, to court. All of this of course takes a long time and is expensive. And the actual payouts if you win are not that great (half a years salary if you are lucky).
It depends.
I've read some people online who were hired full remote by Amazon and are now grouped into the full RTO, and that may be illegal in the EU since you're changing their terms of employment without consideration.
However, people hired full in-office, then who went remote, and are now RTO, it seems like there may be less grounds unless they got it in writing that they're now considered full remote.
While the EU is absolutely better for employee rights/protections, it isn't absolute. It depends what you're contracted for.