Fórsa is insisting that flexitime be reinstated for civil and public servants who have returned to workplaces following the Covid-19 emergency and are now back on their normal hours and work patterns.

Flexitime schemes across the civil and public service were suspended in March as part of the emergency response to the pandemic.

The union has raised the issue with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), which has overall responsibility for pay and conditions across the civil and public service.

Despite a positive response to the union’s case, DPER has not yet changed its position, even though tens of thousands of staff are back in the workplace and working normal hours.

A union spokesperson said Fórsa had accepted the suspension of flexitime as an emergency measure. “There is some logic to its continued suspension for staff who continue to work remotely, but there is no reason why workplace-based employees should be denied their previous flexi arrangements once they are working normal hours,” they said.

Effective from Monday (28th July), flexi-time arrangements will be reinstated for Garda staff who are physically attending the workplace and working their normal, pre-COVID work attendance patterns.

Garda staff who are still working remotely or attending work on non-core working patterns, flexi-time remains temporarily suspended. However you should still continue to clock in and out as usual.

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