Modernizing our work model

On this page

• Why hybrid work
• Remote work and telework
• COVID-19 occupational health guidance
• Mental health and well-being
• Duty to accommodate

Why hybrid work

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, most public servants worked on site full time. Flexible work arrangements, such as hybrid work models, were the exception. During the pandemic, we adopted a remote-by-necessity work model, which showed us that we could work differently.

The federal public service has chosen to adopt hybrid, the same is happening in many organizations throughout public and private sectors. It is important that we continue efforts to learn from our experience and strengthen our understanding of hybrid work while applying lessons learned.

On December 15, 2022, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat announced the adoption of a common hybrid model throughout the federal public service. This new work model allows federal public servants the flexibility to telework 2 or 3 days a week, or 40 or 60% of their regular schedule.

Shared in-person experiences are essential to cohesive, collaborative and high-performing organizations and ensure receiving services is the same across the government and the country. As our number one priority continues to be delivering quality services to Canadians, this work model will allow for the recruitment of top talent across Canada. It also balances employees’ desires for greater flexibility with the employer’s need to have on-site presence.

The direction on prescribed presence at the workplace applies to the over 262,000 employees of the core public administration, and it is strongly recommended that separate agencies adopt a similar strategy.

To allow for a smooth transition to this hybrid model, a phased introduction began on January 16, 2023, with full implementation requested by March 31, 2023.

Consult the full timeline

Remote work and telework

Remote work / working remotely is a term used to describe work being accomplished in a location that is not a designated worksite. This is an employer-driven process when the health and safety of its employees are of concern. These situations generally occur during temporary and unforeseeable circumstances, such as pandemics, states of emergencies or inclement weather. The designated worksite is a physical location under the organization’s control. It is not a virtual location or a residential address. The employer determines the location of the designated worksite associated with each position.

Telework is work performed by an employee from an alternate location other than a Government of Canada designated worksite, based on a voluntary request from an employee, subject to operational requirements and management approval. A telework agreement is created and signed by the employee and the employer. The agreement must be reviewed at minimum annually and may be cancelled at any time with reasonable notice by either party.

COVID-19 occupational health guidance

Ensuring the health and safety of public servants is a priority for the government of Canada. Employees can be confident that effective measures continue to be taken to protect their health and safety in the workplace.

Deputy heads continue to be responsible for tailoring the guidance from the Public Service Occupational Health Program into requirements for their workplaces. These requirements take into consideration the working environments, work tasks and local COVID-19 conditions of each worksite.

Mental health and well-being

Healthy workplaces are the foundation of an effective, productive and engaged federal public service that is best able to serve Canadians.

While many public servants were already working on site at least 2 or 3 days a week before this hybrid model was announced, this represents a change for others.

While effective service delivery and smooth functioning of federal operations are at the top of our considerations, employee well-being remains a priority. Supports like the Employee Assistance Program and the Centre of Expertise for Mental Health in the Workplace continue to be available.

Duty to accommodate

The Directive on the Duty to Accommodate continues to apply in the hybrid work environment. If an employee faces a barrier under the 13 prohibited grounds for discrimination as listed in the Canadian Human Rights Act, they may request accommodation from their manager. The Duty to Accommodate: A General Process for Managers can assist managers in assessing accommodation needs on a case-by-case basis. The Government of Canada Workplace Accessibility Passport is also a valuable tool to help employees navigate requesting accommodations.