Govt introduces 3-tier system for remote work for people with disabled children

Parents or guardians of children with disabilities employed in the civil service will be allowed to work from home without attending the office, under a framework introduced by the government.

President Mohamed Muizzu announced the measure in his presidential address earlier this year. The regulations were published in the Gazette on Thursday.

Under the regulations, permission to work from home is subject to documentation issued by a registered health worker, specifying the level of assistance the child requires in daily living activities.

Parents are classified into three levels based on the level of support required by the child.

Level 1 includes parents of children who require assistance from another person for most daily activities. Parents in this category may work from home for the full duration of their official working hours.

Level 2 includes parents of children who require moderate assistance in daily activities. Level 3 includes parents of children who do not require assistance from another person for daily activities.

Parents in Levels 2 and 3 may work from home when their presence is required with the child. Where such presence is required for more than half of the official working hours, the parent may attend the office to complete part of the scheduled work and be absent for the remaining time.

The regulations state that work assigned under this arrangement must be suitable for remote completion. Employees are required to ensure that adequate resources and a suitable environment are available to carry out their duties from home. If office attendance is required for specific tasks, the employee must attend when requested.

The regulations also state that permission to work from home may be withdrawn if the employee is unable to meet work requirements.

Positions that require physical attendance, including teachers, nurses and senior management staff, are excluded from the arrangement. However, the regulations allow for alternative arrangements such as class scheduling, reduced working hours and spending part of the working day at home.