President Nikos Christodoulides has sent back to parliament the recently approved law regulating telework in the public service, issuing a telework law return over concerns about an amendment limiting remote work to four days per month.
The return will be examined today by the House finance committee and is expected to reach the plenary on Thursday. In his letter, the president cites both practical and constitutional issues arising from the amendment tabled by Disy.
On the constitutional question, Christodoulides argues that the change “constitutes an intervention by the legislative branch in the competence of the cabinet,” contradicting the provisions of the Constitution. The amendment, he added, amounts to unlawful interference in the executive’s authority, violating the principle of separation of powers.
Practical concerns over fixed monthly cap
The Disy amendment, approved on 13 November, stipulates that telework cannot exceed four days per calendar month for each public employee. According to the president, this creates significant practical problems.
While the government’s initial intention was to introduce a limited number of telework days during the first phase of implementation, setting a strict monthly limit is expected to undermine flexibility. The return notes that department heads must be able to approve telework according to operational needs — something the monthly structure restricts.
The president also points out that some months may naturally allow fewer telework days, while others may require more. The fixed cap also prevents granting consecutive telework days (beyond four) to speed up specific projects or meet tight deadlines when necessary.
Accordingly, the return argues that the maximum number of telework days should apply to the entire calendar year rather than per month, allowing greater flexibility in how departments manage staff arrangements.
Christodoulides ultimately recommends that the House “does not insist on its decision,” accepting the telework law return and amending the legislation so its implementation remains within the executive’s remit.
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