Recently the Department issued guidelines for managers in relation to working from home requests made by Rangers. The Working from Home (WFH) Guidelines provided to National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) staff 24 December 2021. You can read the document HERE.

Subsequent to this, the PSA wrote to DPIE (now DPE) to express its utter disappointment with NPWS management, firstly with the timing on Christmas Eve and also with respect to the lack of consultation regarding this communication.

The PSA was clearly of the understanding of a commitment that was given at the December NPWS Joint Consultative Committee from NPWS management to convene a meeting with the PSA to discuss WFH Guidelines prior to their implementation. The PSA is of the view that this is another attempt by NPWS to both marginalise and diminish your union’s capacity to support our members.

The PSA notes the DPIE Secretary communication to DPIE staff, 10 January 2022

‘I also want to remind you of the recent announcement regarding our COVID-safe protocols. We are encouraging all staff to work from home, where it is practical to do so, until Friday 28 January 2022.’

The PSA would like to hear from members who feel that they been discriminated against by their managers by not allowing them to work from home where it is practical to do so during these stressful times.

The PSA will continue to advocate on behalf of its members for a more consistent an considerate approach to the implementation of departmental guidelines in relation to WFH arrangements for DPE/NPWS members.