CSB responds to media enquiries
In response to media enquiries about work arrangements for government employees under the epidemic, a spokesman for the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) said today (July 16) that the Government has all along been striving to safeguard the health and safety of its staff while providing services to members of the public. In fact, during the implementation of the special work arrangement in the past, most of the disciplined services staff and other frontline staff had to work as usual to maintain public services and normal operations of their departments, so that the public would not be seriously affected.
In view of the latest situation of the epidemic, the CSB has already reminded bureaux and departments to strictly implement various targeted social distancing and infection control measures including implementing staggered working and lunch hours, and adopting a roster system. Meanwhile, departments have a sufficient supply of personal protective equipment such as masks, and appropriate partitioning in work places has also been put in place. The Government will stay vigilant and continue its preventive measures against the virus.
The CSB has also issued guidelines to bureaux and departments reminding them that with regard to their own actual situation and the circumstances of individual cases, they can, on the premise of not affecting the provision of public services, draw up their own social distancing measures, including working from home, in order to protect the health and safety of their staff. For instance, some departments have made special arrangements for their pregnant employees. If colleagues have tested positive for COVID-19 or have to wait for test results, the departments concerned will make flexible arrangements and render support to them in accordance with the actual circumstances.
The Government will continue to closely monitor the development of the epidemic and review the situation in order to safeguard the health and safety of its staff.