Federal officials in the Ottawa region are still awaiting instructions to return to the office. They still do not know when the telework will end, a month after the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) announced a “gradual” return.
In a written statement sent to CBC, TBSTreasury Board Secretariatsays with rare exceptions, most federal officials will be working from home in the near future
.
Employees who need access to specialized facilities, equipment or networks, or those whose functions are less conducive to teleworking will be considered for a return to the office
, it is specified.
A plan for each ministry
Each ministry must develop its own plan, and most have yet to announce a date. Those plans could also change in the event of a second wave of COVID-19 in the fall.
CBC asked every department employing more than 500 people in the National Capital Region what their plans were to get employees back to the office (see list below).
Only the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Office of the Auditor General, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Elections Canada responded directly. The rest of the data was sent through TBSTreasury Board Secretariat.
Measures to be developed
For her part, the president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), Debi Daviau, maintains that it would be difficult in some buildings to accommodate all employees while respecting physical distancing measures.
His union has asked the federal government how common spaces, such as kitchenettes, will be managed, but has not received a response so far. According to science, it is clear that we cannot return everyone to the offices, because there are problems with the elevators, the toilets, the other common spaces. The employer must answer these questions
, argues Ms. Daviau.
Imagine being in a 20-storey tower, for example, and wait for the elevator to the 15 th floor. You will never be able to enter this elevator!Debi Daviau, President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
The Treasury Board, for its part, maintains that it will act prudently
to gradually increase the number of public servants who will return to the office. In particular, it plans to cap the number of people in each building.
According to Ms. Daviau, it is possible that only a third of the employees could be at the same site at the same time. We must reduce the number of people in each building to reduce the risk for those who are there
, she emphasizes.
I have heard figures, such as a maximum capacity of 25% or 30%, in addition to physical distancing measures
, specifies the President of PIPSCProfessional Institute of the Public Service of Canada. But again, we calculate the distances from the center of the cubicle, while we are not only working in the center!
Debi Daviau adds that most of the public service can work from home. They are working very well today and they can continue like this at least in the short term
. The PIPSCProfessional Institute of the Public Service of Canada would like some investment, however, to ensure federal employees are properly equipped at home.
The federal government reiterates that the health and safety of its employees remain its priorities.
Conditions for starting the return to the office
- Green light from the Health Agency of Canada and directives from Health Canada
- Access to public transit, daycare services and schools
- Availability of personal protective equipment for employees as needed
- Ability to prepare and maintain cleanliness of workspaces
Source: Treasury Board Secretariat
Compilation of measures by ministry
- Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada : working from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Global Affairs Canada : working from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency : front line staff going to workplaces; other employees work from home
- Public Health Agency of Canada : Performs an analysis of each area to determine who needs to be on site.
- Canada Border Services Agency : front line staff going to workplaces; feasibility study on continuing to work remotely for others.
- Canada Revenue Agency : 4,100 on-site employees; the majority will continue to work remotely until at least the fall.
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada : work from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Libraries and Archives Canada : work from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Privy Council Office : work from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission : working from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Civil Service Commission : work from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting
- National Research Council Canada : work from home for the most part this summer and fall; 30% capacity limit on site.
- National Defense: increase in the number of people returning to their workplace.
- Chief Electoral Officer of Canada : gradual return in August to begin; work in progress to allow as many employees as possible to work from home.
- Employment and Social Development Canada : gradual return to the workplace initially so as not to exceed 25% to 30% of overall occupancy.
- Environment and Climate Change Canada : gradual reopening of the season for technical work and outdoor activities.
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police : The gradual return of personnel from the National Capital will begin August 17; work from home for employees who will be able to do so.
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada : gradual reintegration pilots have started; others will follow in August.
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research : Gradual return to start in fall.
- Department of Justice Canada : work from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Department of Finance Canada : assesses employee needs for access to tools and workplaces.
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada : working from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Parks Canada : some access and visitor services have been restored.
- Canadian Heritage : working from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada : front line staff on site; the majority will work remotely for the foreseeable future.
- Natural Resources Canada : Some staff need specialized equipment to return in July
- Health Canada : Performs sector analysis to determine who needs to be there.
- Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat : assesses employee needs for access to tools and the workplace.
- Public Safety Canada : working from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting
- Indigenous Services Canada : work from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Canadian Administrative Tribunals Support Service : homework for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Correctional Service of Canada : work from home for some; the hybrid option for others will combine office work and telecommuting.
- Public Services and Procurement Canada : Some people return to the office for operational or personal reasons.
- Shared Services Canada : Remote work will continue to the extent possible.
- Statistics Canada : Limited staff on site for essential functions.
- Transport Canada : work from home mostly; some staff will begin to return in stages at the end of July.
- Auditor General of Canada : by September, a combination of work from home and on site for those who need to be there; planned combination of 70% remote work and 30% office work.
