Federal officials are frustrated with plans to go back to work in person

The Treasury Board reported that there was no There is no one-size-fits-all approach And that deputy ministers in each department have the power to determine how their employees will implement this reinstatement.

However, some public servants are frustrated by the inconsistency.

We don’t see a clear trend of what going back to work looks likesays Sharon D’Souza, national executive vice president of the Canadian Public Service Alliance (PSAC), a union that represents about 200,000 workers across the country.

She says she heard the guild members talk about how they feel of instability About getting back to work, especially as plans vary from department to department.

Ms DeSousa believes employees deserve to have safe and healthy work environments, adding that everyone’s mental health has suffered during the pandemic. She says employees need to know that the government supports them. They need consistency, they need support, they need to make sure their health and well-being are taken care of, and they need clear communication.

ambiguous instructions

Christina MacLean, a civilian employee with the Department of National Defense, says she has told her employer that she prefers the hybrid business model, but the guidelines are vague.

We did the job, we showed we can do the job. Now is the time for everyone to have some flexibilityargue.

Ms. MacLean deplores the inconsistency between departments and does not hesitate to describe the situation A major problem.

For now, it is at the discretion of the employerto remember. Depending on what department you are in or what classification you are in, you receive different treatment and you could all find yourself working in the same office.

” If it is entirely up to the employer, how will we protect workers’ rights? »

In its August Labor Force Survey, Statistics Canada said it continued to see an upward trend in the number of people working under a hybrid model, at 8.6%.

However, Statistics Canada said it did not have data on the number of federal public service employees currently working remotely or in a hybrid model.

Differences between sections

CBC It contacted various federal departments about their plans for employees to return to their workplaces. Only the Canadian Heritage Department did not respond to CBC In time to publish this article.

• Canadian National Income Service It stated that it will move towards a mixed business model and will gradually increase the number of employees at the site.

• Ministry of Finance He will adopt a hybrid plan where most employees will work in person and from home, and hope that employees will eventually spend 50% of their time in the office.

• Ministry of Justice It said it is now adopting a mixed business model and employees who want to work from home will need to have remote work agreements approved by October 3. There is currently no minimum number of working days for the site at the department level.

• The Ministry of National Defense You will gradually transition into a mixed workforce over the coming months. About 50% of its employees were working on the site during the pandemic.

• Ministry of Public Security It will adopt a hybrid model, with telecommuting arrangements defined in collaboration with personnel managers. He said the process should be completed by November 2022.

• Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) It says it officially implemented its flexible business model on September 6 and that many employees atESDC Continue to work there.

• Environment and Climate Change Canada He kept essential services on site throughout the pandemic, and an increasing number of employees have come to work regularly in recent months. By September, all executives should have a regular, ongoing presence on site, and all remote employees or executives must have a signed telework agreement.

• Canada’s fisheries and oceans She said a significant number of her employees have continued to work on site throughout the pandemic, and employees have returned over the summer to their offices across the country. Mixed working arrangements have been approved and management has indicated that it expects staff to stay in the office 1-2 days per week.

• Health Canada and Public Health Canada He says the health and safety of its employees is a top priority when they transition into a mixed workforce.

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship in Canada It continues its transition to a hybrid business model.

• Aboriginal Services in Canada Planning to return to the workplace this fall,

  By being in person at least one day a week. Crown, Aboriginal, and Northern Affairs Canada relations maintain a gradual return to the office in the fall as more and more employees return to work.

• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada She is currently implementing a back-to-office plan. The majority of its employees adopt a mixed plan, working on site two to three days a week on average. Some employees will have more or fewer days of presence depending on their job.

• General Services and Procurement Canada It is gradually moving to a mixed workplace.

• Canada Transportation It states that each employee has an individual work arrangement with their manager and that employees have the option of returning to face-to-face work full-time or adopting a hybrid plan depending on the requirements of their position. Work arrangements agreements are due to be implemented by September and several employees have already worked on site throughout the pandemic.

With information from Safiya Marhanouj,