Hydro-Québec and Loto-Québec have no use for the Legault government’s new teleworking policy and will not force their employees to come to the office three days a week.
Generally speaking, office workers at the state company responsible for producing and distributing electricity, who represent 60% of the total workforce, are only required to work in person twice a week.
“The government policy relating to public service employees does not apply to Hydro‐Québec,” maintains spokesperson Louis-Olivier Batty.
With all due respect to Minister France-Élaine Duranceau, who imposed a return of civil servants to the workplace three days a week, Loto-Québec does not intend to change its way of doing things either. Note that in his case, the vast majority of his staff must be present to provide services.
“For office workers, the general policy requires a minimum presence of two days per week in person. That said, most of our managers are there for three days or more. We do not plan to change the policy for the moment,” said the director of media relations, Renaud Dugas.
Note that the government’s new teleworking rules apply to all ministries and entities whose staff are appointed under the Public Service Act.
Organizations considered outside the public service “are invited to modify their policy for their part, according to what is put forward in the framework policy,” specifies the Treasury Board. Clearly, state corporations are encouraged to follow suit, but the government cannot force them.
Almost 4 days at the office
This is how at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, employees were already forced to work face-to-face three times a week.
And the model is set to change as of May 4. “From this date, office presence will be four days a week. Our decision was taken before the directive was issued by the Treasury Board,” specifies public relations specialist Jean-Charles Del Duchetto.
In financial circles, this is a major trend. Several Canadian banks (Scotia, RBC, BMO, TD) announced the return to face-to-face meetings four days a week last summer.
After tax season
At Revenu Québec, we will follow the “official directive” from the Treasury Board reducing teleworking, but gradually, tax season requires.
Knowing that employees were mostly working remotely four days a week, the transition will take a few more months, until July.
“At the dawn of its peak period linked to the tax season, Revenu Québec is applying this directive gradually,” points out Claude-Olivier Fagnant.
At Investissement Québec, we will make the transition of two to three days in the workplace starting in May. Employees will, however, be entitled to “three full weeks of teleworking” during the year, specifies Isabelle Fontaine.
