Reduced hours, flexitime, flexi-week, and remote working will be structured and strengthened in the public service from next week, Tony Sultana, the Principal Permanent Secretary has announced.

It follows a consultation process between leaders of the public service and the trade unions.  

"The reduced hours' system has now been given more flexibility and amended in such a way that public officers can apply to work reduced hours without the need for eligibility criteria where work service and priorities permit," Sultana said. 

Public officers may also ask to adjust their working hours up to two hours before or after the established hours.

Under the Flexi-Week concept, public officers may also request to spread the 40 hours of work over four or six days a week.

Remote working is being structured in a way that public officers may benefit from any number of remote hours based on family-friendly eligibility criteria.

This will replace the existing Telework arrangements. Up to 20% of working hours may be requested to be worked remotely without the need for any eligibility criteria.

The changes comes into force from April 3 with a transition period until June 15.

"The Public Service is giving public officers more flexibility with less bureaucracy in an accountable, structured, and efficient way. This strengthens the Public Service’s credentials as a model employer with the most relevant practices that lead to work-life balance in our country," Sultana said in a statement.