Responsibility for Telework: Municipalities force their employees to work on site

The Quebec government may force teleworking wherever possible, but municipalities in Quebec are forcing their employees to physically go to their place of work.

“We have municipal unions, they told us it was hell. Not only the human resource directorates, the municipal directorates, refuse to implement televerking, but also threaten them by telling the workers:” If you do not come back to work, face to face, we will reduce the risk positions or your salary. Reduce ”, an angry Jacques Letorneyu, president of the Confederation of National Unions (CSN), told LCN.

Mr Letorno was shocked to see the situation as the reference came directly from the government and from Labor Minister Jean Boulett.

The latter gave CNESST the power to intervene with recurring employers on the telework issue.

“In the case of non-union […] Following a complaint and a notice of correction, CNESST may decide to pay a fine to the refunding employer, ”Minister Boulette reiterated.

Surprisingly, the circles involved in this law are mainly from the public sector, not the private sector.

This is especially the case in the health sector, where administrative work that does not require the physical presence of the employee continues on site, citing Jacques Letorno as an example.

“At the beginning of the epidemic, employers were reluctant to manage work from home. […] It has improved a bit, but there is still some resistance, ”the CSN president explained.

One of the main reasons the problem exists is that employers feel that “telecommuting is about stealing time”.

Mr Letorno, however, made it clear that the situation did not represent a majority.

He opined that telework in the country has increased significantly in the last year, ranging from 7% to almost 25%. Finally, consolidated offices respect government directives.