An online meeting in the morning and already on the surfboard in the afternoon? For many people, working remotely is an attractive concept and a win-win situation: working wherever you want while discovering new places and relaxing at the same time.

The term "workation" is made up of the words "work" and "vacation". It describes the idea of combining work and holidays – a trend that is becoming increasingly popular.

Start planning your own workation early so that you can close your laptop and then carry your surfboard to the beach straight away.

The following checklist will help to keep all important points for working remotely on your radar.

Use this checklist to plan a successful workation

1. Clarify the legal framework with your employer

The term "workation" is not yet established in German labour law. This means: There is no general right to a workation. In most jobs, it is legally feasible to work away from home for a while. However, this is not possible without the permission of the boss.

Ask your HR department and colleagues who have already completed a workation about how this is handled in your company.

Tip: To protect yourself legally, record the agreements you have made about your workation (destination country, duration, etc.) in a supplementary labour law agreement with your employer.

2. Find a suitable destination country

To ensure a productive exchange with your colleagues, it is advisable that your time zones do not differ too much: Working in Australia sounds tempting – but think about whether you really want or will need to work there in the middle of the night in order to be accessible?

You should also check the security situation and medical care in your chosen country for your workation.

Is your destination country outside the EU? Then you should also research whether you are allowed to work there at all. You may need a residence permit and/or a work permit. As a starting point for your research, you can search for information on the website of the Federal Foreign Office, for example.

3. Benefit from freedom of movement in the EU

Don't make things unnecessarily complicated for yourself! Keep your planning effort to a minimum by deciding in favour of a workation within the EU as an EU citizen.

Background: If you are an EU citizen and your place of work is within the EU, this is not a legal problem. Freedom of movement applies in the EU. This means that you have the right to move, live and work freely in all EU countries. You therefore need to do only a minimum of planning.

Good to know: As a rule, the labour law of the country in which you usually work applies to you during a workation in the EU.

4. Work abroad for less than 183 days to avoid double taxation

If you work as an employee in a foreign country for less than 183 days, you normally do not have to pay income tax in that country. This applies as long as your salary is not paid by an employer or a permanent establishment in this country.

During your workation you simply continue to pay taxes in your country of residence.

Attention: If you plan to work abroad for a longer period of time, you will need to familiarise yourself with the double tax treaties of the respective countries.

5. Try to keep regular working hours.

Nobody wants to be phoned when they're on the surfboard!

When you work away from home, both work and relaxation should not be neglected. It is therefore particularly important to have fixed working hours during a workation.

Tip:Agree your working hours and availability during your workation with your employer in advance. Put this agreement in writing.

6. Ensure that your workation workplace fulfils all technical requirements

A holiday cottage in the middle of Tuscany might seem tempting – but does it have a stable internet connection?

When choosing your workstation location, bear in mind that your workstation must meet your technical requirements. Discuss this with potential hosts in advance.

To be on the safe side: choose urban locations from the outset and research co-working spaces in your workation environment.

Tip: Office-Club, for example, has two branches in Milan Office Club Via Bagutta and Office Club Via Monte Napoleone  – perfect conditions for your next workation in bella Italia.

7. Clarify health and social insurance

In order to be well covered during your time working abroad, it is important to keep an eye on both health and social insurance. Find out about your insurance cover abroad. EU citizens usually continue to be covered by their home health insurance if they are staying in another EU country. Outside the EU, however, there may be differences and additional international health insurance may be necessary.

As far as social security is concerned, you should check whether and how contributions have to be made during your time abroad. Here, too, the regulations may vary depending on whether you work within the EU or in a country outside the EU. Other country regulations could apply, especially for longer stays.

Tip: For stays outside the EU, it is advisable to find out about the specific requirements and regulations at an early stage and seek expert advice if necessary.

Workation as a self-employed person or freelancer?

• For the self-employed and freelancers, the tax conditions for workation are similar to those for employees. They have to pay their taxes in Germany as long as they mainly work there.
• The 183-day rule also applies here: If you work abroad for more than 182 days as a freelancer or self-employed person, the tax law of the respective country may apply.
• The social security regulations for the self-employed are also similar to those in Germany.
• When working in countries outside the EU, self-employed persons should contact the German authorities to clarify the specific requirements and regulations for these countries.

Conclusion: Planning a successful workation requires thorough preparation: legal clarifications with the employer, and the choice of a suitable destination country. Keep the time zone factor in mind in order to experience the most pleasant workation possible.

Also make sure you comply with the 183-day rule and ensure in advance that your workplace in the destination country will meet your technical requirements.

It is also important to clarify health and social insurance cover.

Follow our checklist and look forward to minimal stress and maximum relaxation during your workation.

Happy planning!