Federal government employees are mandated to return to in-person work this winter and early spring after working remotely for three years, and some of those with children are working to find places for their children in extended-day programs.
The federal government announced just before the Christmas holidays that all civil servants would have to return to the office for at least two to three days a week by March 31 at the latest.
The transition for some begins next week.
“There’s immediate panic,” said Tanya Lupinski, a senior project officer with the Canada Revenue Agency who has two daughters, ages five and eight.
For the past few years, she has been able to take her children to and from school thanks to the flexibility of working at home. It also meant I didn’t have to put my kids in before or after school programs.
“We now have a rhythm of life that works much better than anything we’ve had before,” Lupinski said.
With that rhythm soon to be disrupted, Lupinski is now one of many parents in the civil service seeking care for their children.
The extended day program at her children’s school remains an option if space is available. Lupinski still doesn’t know.
If not, her husband may have to change his work schedule or her retired mother-in-law may be asked to step in to help.
“It’s just gross,” she said.
Lupinski says she is struggling to care for her eight-year-old daughter Brooke, right, and five-year-old daughter Cassidy. (Tanya Lupinski)
Warren Salzman, who works with Transport Canada, has a toddler in kindergarten and an older daughter in school who will need a spot in the extended day program when he returns to the office.
“We’re lucky because of where my son is … it’s more difficult for my daughter because right now the regular school doesn’t really have any extra seats,” Salzman said.
Ottawa Morning13:29 Treasury Board president answers questions from civil servants about hybrid work
On Monday, federal government employees will begin the transition to working in the office 2 or 3 days a week. Treasury President Mona Fortier answers questions raised by federal officials.
Availability varies at each school
While every child is eligible for a spot in the before and after school programs, current availability varies by school for both the Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) and the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
In an email to the CBC, OCDSB spokesperson Darcy Knoll wrote that there has been a “slight increase” in requests for the program, as well as families wanting to increase the days their children have access to the program.
“When the group is full, we will increase it [extended day] program in a school based on demand and will work to increase staff in order to open new groups. This could cause the start date to be delayed,” Knoll said.
A spokesman for the Catholic council said some schools had places available, while others had waiting lists.
At a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa last month, Treasury President Mona Fortier said the federal government wants a common approach to remote work for the federal public service. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Some in the public sector continue to struggle to keep working remotely — and the unions representing Canada Revenue Agency employees are headed for a strike vote.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Union of Taxation Officers announced Tuesday that bargaining talks have broken down over wages and telecommuting.
The strike ballots are scheduled to begin in late January and continue through early April.
BREAKING NEWS:
Strike votes will begin for more than 35,000 pic.twitter.com/Fh4EvW9xGQ
—@psac_afpc
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