Revised Guidelines on Flexible Working Hours in the Government
CSC Resolution No. 1901335, issued on November 4, 2019, revises the guidelines for flexible working hours in the Philippine government. It allows heads of departments and agencies to approve flexible working hours while ensuring that employees complete a minimum of 40 hours per week. The flexible hours must fall between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM, with agencies required to maintain public service from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Additionally, provisions for altered working days, such as Saturdays and Sundays, are included, along with a requirement for agencies to submit an evaluation report on the implementation of these flexible hours within six months. All prior inconsistent rules are repealed, and the resolution takes effect immediately.
November 4, 2019
CSC RESOLUTION NO. 1901335
REVISED GUIDELINES ON FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS IN THE GOVERNMENT
WHEREAS, the Civil Service Commission, as the central human resource institution of the government, is mandated by the Constitution to establish a career service, adopt measures to promote morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, and courtesy in the civil service, strengthen the merit and reward system, integrate all human resource development programs for all levels and ranks, and institutionalize a management climate conducive to public accountability; SDHTEC
WHEREAS, Section 12 (3), Title I, Subtitle A, Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987 (Executive Order No. 292), conferred on the Civil Service Commission the power and function to ''promulgate policies, standards and guidelines for the Civil Service and adopt plans and programs to promote economical, efficient and effective personnel administration in government";
WHEREAS, Section 6, Rule XVII of the Omnibus Rules Implementing Book V of Executive Order No. 292 provides that "Flexible working hours may be allowed subject to the discretion of the head of department or agency. In no case shall the weekly hours be reduced in the event the department or agency adopts a flexi-time schedule in reporting for work";
WHEREAS, CSC Resolution No. 89-256 promulgated on April 21, 1989 which was circularized under CSC MC No. 14, s. 1989 prescribes the adoption of flexible working hours for all officials and employees in the government service;
WHEREAS, depending on the nature of operations, agencies may implement flexible working hours on a voluntary basis;
WHEREAS, in line with the strategies of the government to ease the traffic congestion particularly in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities in the country, there is a need for the CSC to update or revise its existing policies on the adoption of flexible working hours;
WHEREFORE, the Commission RESOLVES to ADOPT the following revised guidelines on the implementation of flexible working hours in the government:
1. Head of departments, offices and agencies shall have the authority to approve office working hours: Provided, That in such working hours officials and employees shall render not less than a total of forty (40) hours a week for five (5) days a week, exclusive of time for lunch.
2. The flexible working hours shall not start earlier than 7:00 o'clock in the morning and end later than 7:00 o'clock in the evening. Head of departments, offices and agencies shall, however, ensure that the public is assured of the continuous services of the agency from 8:00 o'clock in the morning to 5:00 o'clock in the afternoon. They shall also ensure uninterrupted public service delivery even during lunch breaks.
3. In the exigency of the service, working hours may also be altered to include Saturdays and Sundays: Provided, That employees who work on such days may choose a compensatory day-off during weekdays, provided that the Saturday and Sunday are regular workdays and not cases of overtime.
4. Heads of departments, offices and agencies are enjoined to schedule at their preferred time the conduct of flag-raising ceremony every Monday, or the next working day if Monday is declared a holiday or non-working holiday, and flag-lowering ceremony to be attended by available employees every Friday or the last working day of each week.
5. Agencies shall formulate their internal rules in the implementation of the flexible working hours.
6. Any work beyond forty (40) hours a week shall be subject to overtime pay or compensatory time-off as may be authorized by the head of department office or agency in accordance with the provisions of CSC-DBM Joint Circular No. 2, s. 2015 dated November 25, 2015.
7. An evaluation report on the adoption of the flexible working hours by the department, office and agency shall be submitted to the Civil Service Commission within six (6) months after the start of its implementation.
All rules, regulations and issuances which are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
This Resolution shall take effect immediately.
Quezon City. HESIcT
(SGD.) ALICIA DELA ROSA-BALAChairperson
(SGD.) LEOPOLDO ROBERTO W. VALDEROSA JR.Commissioner
(SGD.) AILEEN LOURDES A. LIZADACommissioner
Attested by:
(SGD.) DOLORES B. BONIFACIODirector IV