‘In certain cases, deputy heads may stagger their implementation schedules to match their workplace realities’
The federal government’s deadline requiring non-executive public servants to work on-site four days a week will take effect July 6, despite some struggles from various offices.
All non-executive employees must work on-site four days a week starting Monday, with deputy ministers given some discretion in enforcement, The Globe and Mail reported. Executives have worked on-site five days a week since May 4.
Mohammad Kamal, a spokesperson for Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali, told the Globe the July 6 timeline stands, though some departments will have flexibility.
"In certain cases, deputy heads may stagger their implementation schedules to match their workplace realities, while aiming to maximize the on-site presence of employees beginning July 6," Kamal said, according to the report.
Shortage of space, workstations
Previously, a shortage of office space forced Statistics Canada (StatCan) to stagger the rollout of its four‑day in‑office mandate. Also, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) delayed its four-days-in-the office mandate for the same reason.
Global Affairs spokesperson Jason Kung told the Globe that renovations at the department's Ottawa headquarters mean many staff will stay at three days a week on-site "until more renovated space becomes available." IRCC's Julie Lafortune described a similar arrangement lasting "until we have sufficient office space."
National Defence spokesperson Pamela Hogan said managers may authorise exceptions case by case, noting the department "has limited capacity in certain locations, including in the National Capital Region,” according to the Globe report.
Treasury Board Secretary Bill Matthews had said assigned seating returns because "workforces are more productive that way," a claim O'Reilly disputed.
In February, the federal government insisted it can secure enough desks for public servants as it moves to a four‑day‑a‑week office mandate, even as unions and experts warn that many buildings are already at or beyond capacity. However, Treasury Board spokesperson Martin Potvin acknowledged that “there may not be enough workstations at some locations to meet the four‑day work week requirement for all staff” at the start of the rollout, according to a CBC report.
Over 50,000 supports federal hybrid work
Meanwhile, the e-petition calling on Ottawa to amend the Canada Labour Code to guarantee a minimum level of hybrid work for computer‑based employees in federally regulated sectors have garnered more than 50,000 supporters.
As of the writing of this article, E‑7142 – initiated by Tania Pereira from Etobicoke, Ont. – have gotten 51,734 signatures.
The petition asks the House of Commons to give eligible employees “the right to perform their work remotely for a minimum of three (3) days per week,” unless their role involves emergency, medical, caregiving or other functions “where physical presence is demonstrably essential.”
The E‑7142 petition asks the federal government to take five specific actions that would embed hybrid work in federal law.
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First, it calls for an amendment to Part III of the Code to guarantee the three‑days‑per‑week remote‑work right for employees whose job functions are primarily computer‑based, with limited exceptions where on‑site presence is considered essential.
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Second, e‑7142 would require employers to justify higher in‑office requirements. It seeks an obligation for federally regulated employers to provide “written, evidence‑based justification if they require more than two (2) in‑office days per week” for such employees. This would require HR and line managers to support attendance policies with documented operational reasons, creating additional record‑keeping responsibilities.
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Third, the petition calls on the government to “prohibit any adverse employment action (including dismissal, demotion, or negative performance evaluation) solely on the basis of exercising this right.”
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It also urges the Minister of Labour to develop “compliance and enforcement measures—including penalties for non‑compliance and clear channels for employee complaints,”
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It asks Ottawa to “position Canada as a global leader in modern, sustainable, inclusive work practices by embedding hybrid work as a statutory labour standard under federal law.”
The federal RTO may also impact long-time remote workers, according to a previous report.
