Mainstreaming the remote work system in the federal government
4 May 2020On May 3, 2020, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources issued a circular addressed to the ministries and official government agencies regarding the decision of the Council of Ministers regarding the remote work system in government jobs, based on the results of the system's implementation in a pilot manner in the government since 2017
And based on the circular issued by the authority, the work system will be applied permanently in parallel with the types of traditional work currently applied, after the end of the measures taken to organize government work in light of the emergency conditions
The authority also circulated this system (remote work system) to ministries and federal agencies, explaining that it helps in creating new and unconventional job opportunities and also providing many options for employees that help achieve a balance between work and life, and does not affect the strategic goals of ministries and government agencies
The system will be applied to national employees who are currently working in the federal ministries and agencies, or who will be appointed in the future in the appropriate jobs for remote work, which are determined by the Federal Authority, in coordination with the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, according to the criteria set forth in the system, According to the procedures of human resources and electronic systems adopted in the federal government.
The authority also called on all ministries and federal authorities to review the criteria for determining the appropriate jobs for them to work remotely, as well as the mechanism for selecting employees to work remotely according to the system, and to provide the authority with them, so that they can study them, and ensure that the required conditions are met, according to the rules, and then agree to them, Notify the federal authority thereof before proceeding to apply the system.
The authority expressed its full readiness to provide the necessary support and assistance to the ministries and federal authorities regarding the implementation of the provisions of teleworking in the federal government.
The authority clarified that the remote work system in the federal government in normal circumstances aims to attract and maintain distinguished competencies, reduce operational costs in federal ministries and agencies, and provide government services in non-official working hours.
She stated that remote work is divided into two types, the first is partial, where the employee can, at the request of his employer, divide his work time between the main workplace and the remote workplace in equal or different proportions, and that is hours per day or days in the week or month, while the type The second is fully remote work, and it applies to jobs that can be performed completely outside of the official workplace.
The authority pointed out that there are a set of criteria that ministries and federal agencies must adhere to when determining suitable jobs for remote work, including that the jobs are of a divisible nature, be amenable to automation, and that they require specific inputs to be dealt with according to electronic systems.
According to the decision of the Council of Ministers, it is permissible to choose the employees who head their work to work remotely in the appropriate jobs, according to a number of criteria, including that the employee occupies a position to which the remote work standards apply, and that the employee has not been imposed any administrative penalties related to professional behaviors and ethics The public job, and the employee to be honest and reliable, and to commit to the quality of the outputs, data accuracy, and confidentiality of information, and that the employee’s level of performance be within a performance level that meets expectations for at least the last year of work.
According to the decision, the conditions and mechanisms of the teleworking system specified in the system, the recruitment criteria adopted in the human resources law in the federal government, and the related regulations and regulations related to it are applied to new employees.
The remote work system in the federal government, under normal circumstances, aims to attract and maintain distinguished competencies.