Workers expected to be in office at least three times a week
The full implementation of the federal government’s return-to-office mandate for workers is now officially in effect.
In May, Ottawa released its Direction on prescribed presence in the workplace document which details attendance expectations from workers.
The directive states that deputy heads must implement a minimum requirement of three days per week in the workplace for all public servants.
It applies to all core public administration employees (indeterminate, full-time, part-time, term), students and casual workers (Schedule I and IV of the Financial Administration Act).
Ottawa also recommends that separate employers (Schedule V of the Financial Administration Act) adopt a similar strategy, “to ensure a coherent approach for the whole public service”.
Department heads must implement ways to verify workers’ attendance using “turnstile data, existing attendance reports, and/or Internet Protocol (IP) login data to collect aggregated departmental data,” according to the Direction on prescribed presence in the workplace.
Exceptions with RTW mandate
The directive provides for some exceptions. However, when an employee deliberately fails to comply with a telework agreement, managers should consult with their labour relations experts and consider applying “relevant and progressive discipline” to correct the behaviour,” noted Ottawa Citizen, citing a guide document from the government.
Forms of discipline may include verbal reprimand, written reprimand, suspension without pay of escalating duration and termination of employment, but they could be taken in varying orders, according to the report.
“Before taking any of the above measures, managers should ensure that individual circumstances are considered on a case-by-case basis, including human rights obligations, such as the duty to accommodate, or whether an employee has a reasonable explanation for the behaviour,” the guide said, according to Ottawa Citizen.
Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford previously called on the federal government to bring federal workers back to the office in Ottawa at least three days a week to help boost economic activity in the city.
Union fights against return-to-office mandate
Despite the full implementation coming in, one union continues to fight for workers’ right to work away from the office.
Last week, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) launched a petition against the mandate.
“Public service workers have experienced firsthand the benefits of telework. It’s a proven model that enhances our work-life balance, productivity, and overall job satisfaction. Yet the Trudeau Liberal’s mandate threatens to undo all the progress we’ve made,” the group said in its petition.
In 2023, more than 155,000 Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) members working for the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) held a strike after the Treasury Board required workers in core public administration to be on-site at least two to three days each week, or 40% to 60% of their regular schedule.
The union also said the federal government is not prepared to welcome workers back into the office.
“The federal government wants to force employees to work in ill-equipped offices three days per week only to spend it on virtual meetings. But we know there’s a better way,” said PSAC.
Most Canadian workers are OK with heading back to the office – but employers do not seem to be ready to meet their needs, according to a previous report from Cisco.
