By Hector Georgiou
A long-anticipated shift toward remote work in Cyprus’ public sector is one step closer to reality. The Cabinet last Wednesday approved a draft bill that lays out the framework for teleworking in government departments, a move the government hopes will modernize public service, but with clear rules on who qualifies and how it will be implemented.
So, who’s eligible? According to the bill, permanent public employees with at least two consecutive years of service can apply, as well as fixed-term staff who have worked for at least one year. But not all roles make the cut, shift workers will be excluded from the scheme, and any job involving classified documents or sensitive information must be carried out in person.
The total number of remote workdays allowed per year will be decided separately by the Cabinet.
No laptop, no telework
Teleworking won’t be as simple as working from your kitchen table. The government says remote work will only be allowed if employees are equipped with the proper tools, namely, a service-issued laptop with the necessary software installed.
Roughly 3,150 employees already have official laptops, and more are expected to be distributed as needed. These laptops must also be connected to the employee’s official work phone through Cisco Jabber and linked to the government’s Office Automation System (eOASIS), if required for their duties.
All service laptops will be outfitted by the Department of Information Technology Services with Microsoft 365 applications to ensure employees can perform their work effectively from a distance.
Applications go digital
Employees who wish to telework must submit an online application. This digital process is aimed at keeping track of who’s working remotely and assessing how well the system is functioning once it rolls out.
As for when the new rules will take effect? That’s still to be determined. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, and the remote work scheme will only be activated once it is passed into law.
Until then, it’s a waiting game, but for many public employees, the option of working from home is finally on the horizon.
*This article was translated from its Greek original
