Fórsa members in the Department of Social Protection (DSP) have been advised to maintain their current working arrangements while a dispute over proposed restrictions to blended working proceeds to third-party resolution. The union has also criticised attempts by the department to get around the union’s demand that any return-to-office instruction be underpinned by appropriate data and analytics. 

The dispute arises from DSP proposals to further limit access to blended working arrangements during 2026 and follows an attempt last year to unilaterally increase the number of in-office days worked by DSP staff from 1st February 2025.  

Fórsa has said any measures to change the current framework agreement on remote and hybrid working - outside of critical needs - should be informed by the outcome of research by the NESC commissioned by the Department of An Taoiseach last year, which is currently being carried out. 

More recently, the department indicated that staff who have not applied for remote working, or whose application to retain their current working pattern was rejected, will be expected to attend the office five days a week from next week. In a memo circulated to DSP members on Wednesday 28th January, Fórsa instructed members to retain their existing working patterns until further notice. 

This instruction applies to all Fórsa members in DSP, regardless of grade or probationary status. Members who have been working remotely on consecutive days are advised to continue doing so in line with their current arrangements. 

Fórsa deputy general secretary and head of the Civil Service division Éamonn Donnelly said the dispute goes beyond a proposed reduction in maximum remote working days from four to three: “Fórsa made the case a year ago that any return-to-office mandate, or any mandate to increase the number of days working in the office, must be backed up by analytics that can support those measures. 

“As it is, the department has now introduced concepts such as ‘wellbeing’, which they do not measure, and ‘collegiality’ - which can’t be measured - as a basis for further restricting blended working in the future. These concepts are of little use in measuring workforce requirements.  They serve instead to illustrate management sentiment on the issue, rather than any measurement of organisational needs. 

“The only really concrete example DSP has identified is the concept of ‘knowledge transfer.’ We see merit in exploring this further, and the union is confident that knowledge transfer opportunities can be fully realised within the existing framework agreement. 

“Fórsa will be submitting a counter-statement within days, ahead of a formal hearing. The union has consistently argued that any changes to blended working must be based on objective, transparent and measurable criteria, and must respect existing agreements,” he said. 

Members who are applying for blended working for the first time, or seeking an increase in their current arrangements, should ensure that this is clearly reflected in their applications. 

Fórsa has also advised DSP management that any attempt to impose sanctions on members for following union instructions will be robustly challenged. The union has warned that such action could lead to escalation of the dispute, including the possibility of a ballot of members.

The union has written separately to the AHCPS, the union representing senior civil service grades, which has confirmed that it has advised its own members not to take any action that would undermine the dispute. 

Further updates will issue to members as the case progresses. 

Join a union that wins. Join Fórsa.