Remote work ‘remains an option’: civil service
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/02/2022 (1487 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Manitoba civil service appears to have walked back an apparent move to order at least one department’s workers back into the office.
Many civil servants have been working from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with a wider ask for those able to work remotely to do so when the Omicron variant arrived in the province in December.
Over the weekend, all advanced education, skills and immigration employees were ordered back to the office, effective Feb. 22.
However, in a Monday morning memo, the Civil Service Commission said working remotely would still be an option across departments.
“Each work area continues to have different operational and organizational needs,” the email said. “Employees are able to return to the workplace and each area must assess what that return will look like for their circumstances, while still following the guidance of public health and determining how flexible work can be supported.”
A provincial spokesperson said there is no order to return, but “public servants have been notified they may consider a return to the office. Departments will continue to assess operational requirements and working remotely remains an option.”
Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union president Kyle Ross said people want a return to normal — when and where it’s safe.
Ross added many union members are concerned the “sudden plan” to relax public health restrictions is aggressive, and health-care workers are particularly worried the move could overwhelm the hospital system.
“Each job and each workplace needs to be assessed for its own risks, and by the time public service workers are required to return to the office, we expect the province to ensure there are appropriate protections in place for all of them,” Ross said in a statement.
“As the risk changes moving forward, both for the better and for the worse, the province will need to make adjustments to protect staff and the public.”
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca