Cypriot lawmakers have passed a Bill that amends Public Servants’ working hours in an effort to alleviate rush hour traffic congestion in urban areas.
According to the changes, Public Servants can now report to work from 7am-to-8.30am and sign off between 2.30pm and 4pm.
MPs also raised the possibility of an extension of the hours bureaucrats can work so they can better serve the public in the late afternoon, together with the need to make public transport more attractive.
Public Servants will be given, where possible, the opportunity to clock in within one hour from the time they will state as their preferred arrival time.
Furthermore, the deduction of an employee’s outstanding working time from their remuneration or annual leave will be made at the end of the calendar year instead of fortnightly, as is currently the case.
Chair of the House Finance Committee, Christiana Erotokritou said flexible working hours would not compromise the quality of services offered to the public.
Leader of the Greens, Charalambos Theopemptou said the arrangement was a step in the right direction, but we wanted to see the Government encourage its workers to use public transport, walk and cycle.
He was supported by Assistant Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cyprus, Loukas Dimitriou who said the State should promote ‘micro-mobility’, encouraging people to walk more and use bicycles.
“The more roads we build, the more we encourage people to buy cars,” Dr Dimitriou said.
Nicosia, 9 April 2023
