Public sector to launch hybrid work scheme in April, strict rules in place

The department of public administration and personnel has issued a circular detailing the conditions, procedures and responsibilities governing hybrid working across the public sector, which will come into effect from April 2.

The circular sets out the steps that must be taken by heads of departments and employees alike, covering eligibility, approval procedures, equipment requirements, supervision and the circumstances under which working from home may be interrupted.

It follows the recent issuance of an implementation manual, which provides technical and operational guidance to services and staff, and is linked to the 2025 law regulating remote work in the public service, which enters into force on April 2 following a council of ministers decision in December.

According to the circular, signed by the department’s director Elena Economidou-Azina, a basic condition for working away from the office is that an employee’s duties, or part of them, can be carried out remotely, taking into account their nature and the technological means required.

This assessment is made by the relevant head of department.

Employees working on a shift system are excluded, while the council of ministers may decide to exempt other categories. Eligibility is limited to staff who have completed at least one year in their current post, as well as contracted employees who have completed at least one year performing their current duties.

To make working from home possible, services must provide employees deemed suitable and interested with the necessary equipment and software.

Approval may be granted only where the employee has a service laptop, remote access to the work phone via Cisco Jabber and access to official email through Microsoft Office 365.

In addition, the Office Automation System eOASIS must be installed within the service to allow secure access to correspondence and official documents, unless an employee’s duties do not require it.

During the initial phase, employees whose duties require specialised information systems beyond eOASIS will not be able to work remotely, as upgrades to the public service’s technological infrastructure are required for document and data security purposes.

Working from home is voluntary and subject to approval by the relevant head of department or an authorised officer, following the submission of an electronic application through the employee’s immediate supervisor.

Applications must be submitted via the system used to record employees’ arrival and departure times, which services are required to adapt accordingly.

The number of days permitted away from the office is capped by a council of ministers decision.

The annual maximum has been set at 50 working days, while for 2026, the first year of implementation, the limit has been reduced to 20 days to allow for smoother adjustment by services and staff.

The circular stresses that working from home is neither a right nor an obligation. Employees cannot demand it where conditions do not allow, while departments cannot impose it unilaterally.

Supervision will be based on work delivered rather than physical presence.

Immediate supervisors are responsible for assigning tasks and monitoring output, while unsatisfactory performance may lead to arrangements being terminated or future requests rejected.

Departments also retain the right to require physical presence where service needs arise.

The circular further clarifies that working away from the office does not alter employment terms, duties or working hours. Employees are not required to remain connected beyond normal working hours.

Staff and contractors approved to work from home are required to comply with cybersecurity policies issued by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy.

Work is normally carried out from the employee’s residence, with staff responsible for ensuring that their workspace is suitable for the effective performance of their duties.

In a direct call to senior management, heads of ministries, deputy ministries, departments and services are urged to familiarise themselves fully with the framework and to take the necessary preparatory actions immediately, so that implementation can begin on April 2.

They are also expected to closely monitor application of the scheme to ensure effective performance and the smooth operation of services.

The circular recommends that coordination and preparation be assigned to a designated officer or group of officers within each service.

These officers may contact the department of public administration and personnel for clarifications, although it is made clear that queries concerning individual employees will not be handled centrally and should be managed within each service.