Employee 'verbally and physically accosted' by resident on Ottawa street
The return to office journey of Department of National Defence (DND) employees is facing a challenge as the employer is moving roughly 1,000 staff members to a new location, according to reports.
The move comes after employees have raised safety concerns about reporting for work at the DND building at 400 Cumberland St., at Rideau Street, and just steps from the ByWard Market.
In an internal memo in February, the DND reminded employees to “remain vigilant as they travel in the area” after an employee had been “verbally and physically accosted” by a resident while on Rideau Street, according to the Ottawa Citizen.
The DND advised that workers stay safe by travelling in pairs and avoiding using phones or headphones “in the immediate vicinity.” They should also report any incidents to the Ottawa Police Service, according to the employer.
“As a result of recent incidents where the safety of personnel was compromised, employees requested mitigating solutions to remedy ongoing incidents affecting staff,” said Cheryl Forrest, a spokesperson for DND, in a report from the Ottawa Citizen.
At the start of May, Ottawa released its Direction on prescribed presence in the workplace, noting that public service workers should be working in the office at least three times in a week, starting in the fall.
New DND work locations for employees
The majority of the DND employees affected by the move will be relocating to the 11th and 12th floors of the Major-General George R. Pearkes Building at 101 Colonel By Dr, according to the Ottawa Citizen, citing the employer’s email to workers.
Moving to the Major-General George R. Pearkes Building would require shifting to a “hotel style of workplace,” according to the report.
Others will relocate to other sites in the National Capital Region, including 455 Boulevard de la Carrière and 72 Laval St.
“It’s important to note that no other DND staff from other offices are being relocated because of these safety concerns currently,” Forrest said.
The department will begin moving employees out of 400 Cumberland St. in June, with the relocation finished by October, reported CTV News.
Once the relocation is complete, the property will be returned to Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC), according to DND.
Nearly six in 10 (59%) of Canadians support federal government workers spending more time in-office, according to a previous report from Angus Reid.
And most Canadian workers are OK with heading back to the office – but employers do not seem to be ready to meet their needs, according to another report.
