Ms. B's team was in turmoil.

It was due to an article that her colleague Ms. D. had read and the quintessence of which she had immediately posted in the company's internal team chat.

“Help, I drink too much coffee!” was the entry, referring to a nutritionist who said the limit was four cups a day, anything else was bad for your health.

"When does a coffee addiction actually start?" asked colleague F. when he met Ms. B. in the hallway.

Is it a concern that he's already had two cups when he gets to the office in the morning?

Nadine Bos

Editor in business, responsible for "Career and Opportunity".

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Ms. B. revealed that she always comes to the office "coffee sober" and thus has a free pass, so to speak, for the full four cups during the working day.

It just doesn't work in the home office.

Speaking of home office - the keyword gave Ms B. the idea of ​​telling about another article.

Admittedly, she had never heard of the Internet portal on which she found him, nor of the “legal expert” quoted there.

However, she found his opinion sufficiently interesting: employees are also entitled to free coffee in the home office, provided that the employer also makes it available at the workplace.

This claim derives from “customary law”.

operational exercise

While it has been customary in the company for a long time for coffee to be free, employees can trust that this will continue to be the case.

Even if some of the work is now done from the desk at home.

This principle of "company practice" has been confirmed by the Constitutional Court and can be applied to coffee in the home office.

The coffee either has to be sent home by the employer, or the bosses have to pay money for the coffee consumption in the home office.

"Good to know, isn't it?" said Mrs. B. proudly.

After all, she bought an expensive portafilter machine during the pandemic.

Colleague F. was amazed for a moment, but then quickly returned to the original topic.

This conversation alone reveals coffee addiction in an advanced stage, he said.

And suggested continuing it over a cup of espresso in the kitchen.