Fórsa says its exclusion from the recent information gathering survey on the process of flexi-time accrual is hampering real progress of the practice. 

The civil service is currently testing the impact of flexi-time accrual in a blended working environment. As a result, the issue of flexi-time accrual for those availing of blended working arrangement went to arbitration recently.

This exercise involved a testing of approaches, informed by a recent Civil Service Arbitration Board report. 

Fórsa says management did a survey to test the effectiveness of flexi-accrual across the system within the new pattern of working, but failed to make that information available to all the stakeholders. 

The union said this exclusion again referenced the failure of the general council and management’s negligence of existing protocol. 

“Despite there being one blended working policy, it is operating in a plethora of different ways across different departments,” said the union’s officials. 

Fórsa says it is also analysing that information, but it will now have to try and seek direct discussion to make the blended working policy as consistent as possible. 

“The blended working policy was conceived when we were coming out of lockdown, things were different then. But we need to continuously advance this practice by evaluating what’s working and what can be done better,” said the union.

At its meeting on 19th January, the Civil Service Divisional Executive Committee (CSDEC) appointed a representative sub-group to examine in detail the applications of blended working in operation across the system. 

When the CSDEC has analysed this data and developed a position on the acceptable standards required, it will seek direct discussion with DPER on the matter.