Civil servants have been granted permission to work remotely overseas, allowing for a maximum of two weeks per year for visits to friends and family abroad. The Telegraph has the story.
Civil servants have been given the green light to work remotely overseas, prompting concerns that some will choose to log in “from the beach”. …
The senior civil servants’ FDA union has repeatedly argued that many of its members have connections outside the U.K. and should be eligible for “international remote working” for the benefit of their “family life”.
The decision, which sources said allows staff to work away from home for up to five days at a time, comes months after ministers resisted plans to let civil servants work from abroad.
The bosses of Government departments have long been calling for staff to be allowed to work overseas “for personal reasons” rather than having to take annual leave.
It is understood that some departments have found it difficult to recruit workers with the required level of expertise, partly because other sectors offer higher wages and more flexibility.
Relaxing the rules on overseas working marks a victory for public sector staff, although it is not clear how lenient ministers will be in practice as insiders said applications would be subject to “stringent legal and security requirements”.
Greg Smith, Tory MP for Buckingham, said: “Hard-pressed taxpayers will be raising eyebrows across the country at the thought of civil servants kicking back, sipping cocktails on the beach whilst delivering public services.
“We need civil servants in Whitehall, in their offices, delivering on the priorities of this Government, not saying they’re working, from the beach – we all know the reality of that. Just doing your day job from the beach is preposterous.”
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, added: “This is absolutely stark raving bonkers. I’ve never heard something more idiotic, stupid and pointless for a long, long time.”
Worth reading in full.
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