As fears of another wave of COVID-19 infections enveloped Hong Kong, a Public Service union has urged the Government to stop the transition back to office work.
In reply, the Civil Service Bureau said it had instructed Departments to allow a continuation of remote work “as long as services would not be affected”.
A source within the Government said that it was in a better position to introduce flexible working hours for Public Servants instead of an across-the-board work-from-home rule, as it had secured sufficient supplies of masks.
The Hong Kong Civil Servants General Union, which represents about 20,000 of the city’s 180,000 Public Servants, said these measures were not enough.
Urging Chief Executive, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to allow continued home working and free testing for staff providing essential or urgent services, the union said a recent rise in the number of infected Public Servants meant continued emergency measures were necessary.
“We urge the Government to resolutely adjust its strategy in response to the current severe epidemic situation,” the union stated.
At least 10 Public Servants have been confirmed as infected in recent days, including employees at the Immigration Department and the Customs and Excise Department.
A Government source said some members of the public, including the business sector, had complained about the disruption of public services when the Government introduced work-from-home measures from late January to early May.
“We need to take into account the possible impact on members of the public before resuming an across-the-board work-from-home arrangement for Public Servants,” the source stated, while stressing the views of the business sector were not the Government’s primary consideration.
Hong Kong, 20 July 2020
