Hybrid work actions required by public service employees

September 03, 2024 – Defence Stories

Effective September 9, 2024, all public service employees must work on-site a minimum of three days a week. To ensure flexibility for operational requirements and job types where a minimum 3 days per week is not possible, specific categories of employees (such as part-time workers, students) are required to work a minimum of 60% of their regular schedule on-site.

Ensure you understand and comply with the updated Direction:

• Effective September 9, 2024, all employees who are eligible for a hybrid work agreement will be required to work on-site for a minimum of three days per week
• If you need an exemption (Accessible only on the National Defence network) from complying to the minimum three days on-site requirement, you could seek:
  • A workplace accommodation (Accessible only on the National Defence network), or
  • An exception (Accessible only on the National Defence network)
• For workplace accommodations requests and exceptions requests under categories 1 to 4c, managers must temporarily accommodate employees who are awaiting a decision. For exceptions under category 4d, 4e and 4f, employees must comply to the minimum three days on-site per the Direction until a decision is communicated to them.
• Employees who are awaiting a decision must establish a temporary work agreement in partnership with their manager.
• Workplace accommodations should be considered first, before submitting a request for an exception. Only one exemption request can be pursued at a time. If an accommodation request is in progress, you cannot also submit a request for an exception.
• Once a final decision is made and communicated to them by their manager, employees should update their work agreements if and as needed.

Create or update your work agreement

• All public service employees (indeterminate, students, term, casuals, etc.), regardless of schedule or type of work agreement, must have an updated and valid work agreement effective September 9, 2024, in line with the Direction.
• If you do not have access to TAP, submit an alternative work agreement (Accessible only on the National Defence network)

Monitoring compliance

In accordance with the Direction, the Government of Canada’s Privacy Act, Guidance on optimizing a hybrid workforce, and the Directive on telework, Department of National Defence (DND) networks are subject to monitoring. This information is collected, including for users connected remotely, and reviewed to enforce acceptable use, policy compliance, and to protect against cyber threats. This monitoring also allows DND to track compliance with these directives and take appropriate measures if necessary.

Contact

• Employee point of contact: If you have any questions, please contact your manager
• Manager’s points of contacts:
  • Work agreements: MyWorkArrangements-MesRegimesdeTravail@forces.gc.ca
  • Exceptions: Exceptionalcases-RTW-Casexceptionnels-PLT@forces.gc.ca
  • Workplace accommodations:
    • Medical: Office of Disability Management (Accessible only on the National Defence network)
    • Non-medical: Labour Relations Advisors (Accessible only on the National Defence network)

 

Related links

• DM/CDS message on updates regarding hybrid work model
• DND guidelines on hybrid work
• Hybrid work (Accessible only on the National Defence network)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Frequently asked questions
• Guidance for using the myWorkArrangements application (Accessible only on the National Defence network)
• Guidance for completing an alternative work agreement form (Accessible only on the National Defence network)
• Checklist - Implementing the Updated Direction on Prescribed Presence in the Workplace (Accessible only on the National Defence network)