Covid-19: Some Hong Kong civil servants to start working from home on Thursday – reports

Hong Kong government staff who are not essential anti-epidemic workers could begin working from home as soon as Thursday, according to local media reports, as the Covid-19 Omicron variant spreads in the community.

Citing a Civil Service Bureau memo sent to departments, Ming Pao reported that departments were told they could let employees work from home between Thursday and February 4, depending on operational needs.

Heads of bureaus and departments were notified that they could begin making arrangements for civil servants to work from home as long as it would not interfere with their ability to do their jobs, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said during a press briefing on Tuesday morning.

The city has recorded a total of 42 locally transmitted Omicron cases as of Tuesday, as health authorities warned that there could be undetected local transmissions of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant in Tuen Mun. Thousands of residents in the area waited for up to six hours in queues outside mobile testing stations on Tuesday evening after being issued mandatory testing notices, Commercial Radio reported.

Flexible hours

The Civil Service Bureau memo said government staff could be split into teams and work from home or in the office on alternate rotas. Those who are involved in the government’s anti-epidemic work, however, will be exempt. Workers could also adopt more flexible hours, and those required to work from the office would be allowed to adjust their lunchtime and what time they start and end their working day to avoid crowds during peak hours.

Meanwhile, those with specific health conditions such as pregnancy or long-term illnesses were permitted to begin working from home, the memo read.

Civil servants can also apply for up to 12 days’ leave if they are quarantined or if they need to shoulder additional family responsibilities while schools are shut, Now TV reported.

In total, the city has reported 12,980 infections and 213 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

LATEST on the ‘patriots only’ poll

Timeline: Hong Kong’s new security law – from public consultation to passage in 48 days, after ‘27 years’ in the making

Chief Executive John Lee said Hong Kong had waited 26 years, eight months and 19 days to complete its “historic mission” of enacting legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law.

Ex-student leader seeks to challenge Hong Kong election law over inciting blank votes in 2021 ‘patriots-only’ legislative race

Jacky So, the former president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s student union, was handed a two-month suspended sentence last year over inciting others to cast blank votes.

Over 90% of Hong Kong’s newly elected district councillors sit on the three committees that decide who runs

163 of the 176 seats in the small-circle committee elections, and 84 of the 88 democratically-elected seats in the geographical constituencies, were members of three committees responsible for deciding who could enter the recently restricted race.

Hong Kong Democratic Party endorses 8 candidates for first ‘patriots-only’ district council election

The names of the candidates will be revealed later but they include incumbent and ex-district councillors, Chairperson Lo Kin-hei said on Wednesday evening.

Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit, Hong Kong Free Press is #PressingOn with impartial, award-winning, frontline coverage.