Work-From-Home II model for central government employees likely

As Covid-19 cases surge across the country, some central government employees may be asked to follow hybrid functioning/work from home. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has informally intimated department secretaries to limit attendance in offices in order to implement social proper social distancing norms and other Covid-19 protocol, according to an Economic Times report.

Department secretaries have been asked to assess the attendance of employees in ministries in ministries and limit the same to potentially curbing the spread of infection.

Some of these employees will be asked to work from homes as secretaries review the attendance, DoPT reportedly said.

Government departments had initially allowed only 30% of staff on a rotation basis to rejoin but almost the entire workforce has returned to their physical workstations in the past few months.

Several ministries are allowing employees to work from home to those who ask for it based on exposure or comorbidity. Government officials will reassess the existing attendance system following DoPT’s advice.

Last week an Empowered Group of Ministers reexamined work from home protocols put in place last year during the general lockdown to enable government employees with staggered staffing models but a final decision is yet to be taken.

In May 2020, DoPT drew a draft work from the home protocol for bureaucrats with Flexi timing schedules, handling of confidential documents, disposal of VVIP references and ensuring the confidentiality of government communication in electronic mode after consulting several ministries, the report added.

The objective of the framework was to ensure that productivity is not affected if many employees work from home.