XN000022-1978-01-14 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1978

GOVERNMENT LOOKS INTO STAGGERED WORKING HOURS

FOR CIVIL SERVANTS

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IN A BID TO EASE TRAFFIC CONGESTION DURING PEAK HOURS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF STAGGERING WORKING HOURS AT GOVERNMENT OFFICES,

NORMAL WORKING HOURS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS ARE FROM 9 A.M. AND STAGGERED HOURS WOULD REQUIRE STAFF TO ARRIVE EARLIER AND LEAVE EARLIER.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID MANY DEPARTMENTS HAD ALREADY STAGGERED THEIR WORKING HOURS TO SOME EXTENT.

5 P.M.

HE NOTED THAT HEADS OF ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WERE ASKED LAST NOVEMBER TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF WIDENING THE USE OF STAGGERED WORKING HOURS, BEARING IN MIND THE CONVENIENCE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THEY WERE ASKED ALSO TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS OF THEIR STAFF.

THE FINDINGS SHOW THAT A SMALL NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, AND THE RATING AND VALUATION WOULD BE ABLE TO EXTEND THE USE OF STAGGERED HOURS IN MOST OF THEIR OFFICES.

SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE GREATER USE OF STAGGERED HOURS TO A LIMITED EXTENT ONLY, WHILE OTHERS ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE MORE USE OF STAGGERED HOURS FOR OPERATIONAL REASONS.

IN THE DEPARTMENTS WHICH CAN EXTEND STAGGERED HOURS, PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH IMPLEMENTATION WILL NOW BE EXAMINED IN GREATER DETAIL AND FURTHER CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH AND STAFF BE HELD.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO MAKE MORE USE OF STAGGERED HOURS WHENEVER THIS WAS POSSIBLE WITHOUT DETRACTING FROM THE QUALITY OF SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.

+FOR THE LONGER TERM, GOVERNMENT IS STILL CONSIDERING THE POSSIBLE ADVANTAGES OF FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS WHICH ARE BEING INTRODUCED ON A LIMITED SCALE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR,+ HE ADDED.

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