The Treasury Board confirms it does not know how many federal employees work from home. The Board in a submission to the Senate national finance committee said it was “not possible” to find out.

“With regard to the government’s remote work policy, the information is not systematically tracked in a centralized database,” wrote the Board. “As such it is not possible to determine the number of Public Service Alliance of Canada members working from home versus those working in the office.”

The Board in a May 3 tentative settlement with striking Public Service Alliance members agreed “employee rights around virtual work will be protected through a grievance process” under a letter of agreement. The union in a summary of the pact said the agreement confirmed “virtual work is voluntary, can be initiated by the employee and that arrangements will be considered on a case by case basis.”

Cabinet from the outbreak of the pandemic March 11, 2020 directed some 287,978 federal employees to work from home as a health precaution. Treasury Board President Mona Fortier in a directive last December 15 said employees could continue to work from home “40 to 60 percent of their regular schedule” up to three days per week.