PIPSC, CAPE call for investigation into Ottawa's return-to-office mandate

Two unions are calling for a formal probe into the federal government’s return-to-office (RTO) mandate for federal public service workers.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) joins the Canadian Association of Public Employees (CAPE) in urging the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) to conduct a thorough investigation into the policy.

In a letter to the committee, Jennifer Carr, PIPSC president, asked that the committee look into the impact of the RTO mandate on the following: 

• Employee well-being: Assess the mental health and job satisfaction of employees under the current return-to-office policies, with a lens towards equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Productivity and policy effectiveness: Evaluate the effectiveness of existing and alternative mandates in promoting productivity and employee morale while accommodating the diverse needs of the workforce.
• Best practices: Identify and recommend best practices from organizations that have successfully implemented flexible and inclusive telework strategies.
• Stakeholder engagement: Consider the extent to which employee and union feedback was solicited and incorporated into the development of government mandates.
• Health, safety and inadequate office workspaces: Assess the extent to which existing office environments affect the health and safety of public service employees. This includes looking into space allocation, cumbersome booking systems, poor ventilation, sanitation, pest infestations, and other problems identified by employees and their union representation.

“It has long been the PIPSC position that the public sector can and should adapt its return-to-office and telework strategies in a manner that prioritizes employee well-being while also meeting operational needs,” said Carr in the letter. 

“We must also learn from the experiences of government employees and their unions to create a more resilient and responsive work environment. An investigation by your committee could provide invaluable insights and recommendations to ensure that future policies align with the best interests of both employees and the public they serve.”

In August, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) launched a petition calling for the repeal of a federal mandate requiring public service employees to work in the office three days a week. The union argued that the current policy undermines the benefits of telework and disrupts the progress made in modernizing workplace practices.

‘Grossly inadequate offices’

Along with the letter, PIPSC also shared with the committee in the House of Commons data from its 2024 membership survey. The poll, said the union, found that:

• 48% of racialized workers are likely to leave the public service.
• 51% of people with disabilities are likely to leave the public service.
• 49% of LGBTQ2S+ are likely to leave the public service.
• 50% of workers under 35 are likely to leave the public service.
• Mental well-being is getting worse for 78% of workers, and for 88% of racialized people.
• 39% of Black public service professionals say they worry about worsening discrimination.
• 78% of women workers report having concerns about caregiving responsibilities as a result of the return-to-office mandates.
• 90% of women workers report their work-life balance has gotten worse or significantly worse.

One challenge for employers calling workers back into the office after they had been allowed to work remotely for the past few years is finding the space to accommodate these workers. And that’s the case for several federal government offices, according to a previous report.

"Our members are being forced to return to grossly inadequate offices without justification or consideration of the varying circumstances in which they operate," said Carr. "The lack of sound, evidence-based decision-making seriously impacts employees and wholly disregards the benefits of flexible working arrangements to all Canadians – from productivity gains to better equity, diversity, and inclusion, and opening up good public sector jobs across Canada."

In early 2023, PIPSC filed an official bad faith bargaining complaint against the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for imposing a blanket return-to-office policy.