Civil and public service employers have been encouraged to support staff experiencing childcare difficulties because of coronavirus-related school or crèche closures.

New advice from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) says this could be done by enabling home working or introducing flexible shifts, staggered shifts, longer opening hours or weekend working.

DPER says such measures could also ease workplace social distancing measures. “Where employees can work from home this should be facilitated to the maximum extent feasible,” it says.

It has called on managers and employees to be flexible in circumstances where staff have to mind children on foot of school or crèche closures. And it advises staff who experience coronavirus-related childcare difficulties to stay in regular contact with their managers.

Meanwhile, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has produced new guidance for staff temporarily working at home. And the Data Protection Commission has issued guidance on protecting personal data when working remotely. You can find the Data Protection Commission guidance here. 

Staff who are in a vulnerable group (ie, you are over 60 or have a long-term medical condition like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, cancer or high blood pressure), should phone their doctor for advice before attending work.

You should avoid attending the doctor’s surgery unless specifically advised to do so.

You should also inform your line manager or HR department that you are seeking medical advice before attending work. And you should maintain communications with your line manager.

Official advice to HR departments is clear that employers have a duty of care in these circumstances.

The HSE has also advised pregnant women to take extra care. So pregnant workers should also phone their doctor for advice before attending work.

You should contact us if you are encountering difficulties with your employer.

Civil and public servants “may be asked on a temporary basis to work in a different role, or even for a different organisation, in order to meet critical work needs,” according to new guidance from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. 

This means redeployment will not be compulsory at this stage. However, given the current circumstances, Fórsa has urged members to co-operate. Union advice published yesterday (Sunday) said: “Fórsa strongly urges members to volunteer if they are able to do so, and to co-operate with requirements arising from such redeployments.”

A number of members have asked the union how they can volunteer for Covid-related redeployment. We’ve advised them to contact their line manager or HR department in the first instance.

Management in various parts of the civil and public service is expected to seek volunteers to redeploy to the HSE to undertake urgent work like contact-tracing and staffing helplines.

The civil service is also likely to seek redeployments into the Department of Employment and Social Protection to deal with an expected increase in workloads there.

This is a fluid situation, and Fórsa is in ongoing contact with DPER. The union will expect engagement with DPER prior to any change in the advice on redeployment.

Fórsa is in contact with the Department of Employment And Social Protection (DEASP) regarding changed procedures, increased workloads and the need for social distancing in Intreo centres (ICs).

A sudden and massive spike in coronavirus-related lay-offs is placing huge demands on social welfare services. Around 140,000 workers – from pubs, restaurants and childcare facilities – have been laid off in recent days.

In response, the Government has established a facility for employers to continue to pay laid-off workers at least the equivalent jobseekers' rate of €203 per week during a six-week period.

Employers will then be able to claim a refund for the payments under the temporary scheme. Refunds are expected to take some time to process, but banks have pledged to provide businesses with overdrafts and short-term loans to cover the costs.

If their employers can’t pay the jobseekers’ benefit equivalent, affected workers can claim an online Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment. This is available for six weeks to workers and self-employed people who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

There is no need to attend an IC to claim the benefit. A simplified version of the jobseekers form is available on the DEASP website. This must be downloaded, filled out and returned by post.

DEASP’s communications staff are pushing the message that laid off workers don’t need to attend an IC. This has been covered widely across media outlets.

Staffing levels for online applications and the illness benefit helpdesk are being increased in anticipation of additional demand. 

Fórsa has also sought the following measures to ensure social distancing is observed in public offices;

1. A limit on customer numbers
2. Signage outside ICs informing customers how to apply online
3. Reserving each second seat in IC waiting areas so that they cannot be used.

Fórsa members who encounter difficulties should contact the union through its website as this is the best way of accessing the union at present.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) today issued new guidance for its staff and managers.

The advice covers a wide range of coronavirus-related issues, including self-isolation and paid leave, covid-19 in the workplace, staff at high risk of contracting the virus, redeployment, childcare issues, and employee data.

You can read the circular HERE.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) has issued new advice on what employees should do if they have to go into self-quarantine or self-isolation as a result of the Covid-19 virus.

Staff must telephone their manager before 10am on the first day of self-quarantine or self-isolation to give an update on their situation.

They will have to say what medical advice they are acting on. This could be advice from a GP, the HSE, a hospital or another medical source, which must be specified.

If the worker is well, and undertaking these measures as a precaution, they will be asked to work from home where possible.

They may then be asked to sign a self-declaration on return to work, including written confirmation of the details outlined above.

If a staff member can’t get in touch with their manager, they are advised to contact another manager in their area or the HR team. In rare situations where neither are possible, they are advised to make a note of the date and times of calls made, and to continue to try get in touch with management.

It is important to note that public service employees applying for special leave with pay must comply with these provisions. They cannot also claim DEASP Covid-19 illness benefit.

Failure to comply with these measures may result in disciplinary action.

Get more information HERE.

The union’s elected national officers met last Friday (13^th March) and agreed the following:

“Fórsa and its members across the civil, public, private, voluntary and semi-state sectors are committed to co-operating fully with emergency measures necessary to contain the Covid-19 coronavirus, protect the health and safety of citizens and workers, and maintain essential services during this unprecedented public health emergency.

“The union will continue to advise its members to co-operate with all necessary measures, including some that might not be acceptable in normal times, so long as employers consult with the appropriate unions, respect existing collective agreements, and reach agreement with the union if they feel it necessary to waive aspects of collective agreements in the short-term.”

Members have been strongly advised to co-operate with management in its efforts to contain the Covid-19 coronavirus, protect the health and safety of citizens and workers, and maintain essential services – including when this means doing different things, in different ways, at different times.

Fórsa is here to protect you if you have problems arising from the coronavirus or other workplace issues. The best way to contact the union at this time is HERE.

We will deal with queries as quickly as we can but, needless to say, the union will prioritise cases where members’ jobs and incomes are at immediate risk – as well as any serious health and safety issues that may arise.

Fórsa has cancelled all face-to-face meetings for the time being. The union is redeploying its staff to prioritise engagement with management on proposals arising from the Covid-19 public health crisis, and to provide rapid and efficient responses to members’ queries and concerns.

Wherever possible, Fórsa staff have been equipped to work remotely. Therefore, members should not attend Fórsa offices at this time. If you have a query or concern, the best way to raise it is to contact the union HERE.