Cyprus public service sets out rules for hybrid remote work

Cyprus’ public service will move to a regulated hybrid working from home model from April 2, 2026, after the department of public administration and personnel issued a new manual setting out how the system will work in practice, including eligibility rules, application steps, equipment standards and binding safeguards on cybersecurity and personal data.

The manual is tied to the 2025 law regulating remote work in the public service, which was approved by the House and published in the official gazette on December 12, 2025.

Its commencement was set through a council of ministers decision on December 16, 2025, followed by a gazette notice on December 19, 2025.

While the framework was shaped by the rapid shift to remote work during the pandemic, the manual frames off-site work as part of a wider reform agenda to modernise public administration and expand flexible work arrangements, alongside reduced employment and flexible hours.

In parallel, it links the policy to the recovery and resilience plan 2021 – 2026, describing it as a reform under the modernisation axis, aimed at improving efficiency, strengthening work incentives and supporting work-life balance, including for staff with health issues or disabilities.

Working remotely, as defined in the law, refers to work performed outside the usual workplace through information and communication technologies.

In that context, the department stresses that this is not simply a “term” but a different way of organising and delivering work, which in other European countries has already been adopted widely across both the public and private sectors.

Against this backdrop, the manual argues that, if applied properly, the model could make the public service more flexible, improve staff utilisation and productivity, and reduce operating costs over time, including by easing pressure on office space.

At the same time, it is expected to reduce friction linked to staff placement outside their home district, help address staffing difficulties and cut commuting-related congestion, pollution and travel costs.

Even so, the guidance is explicit on one point. Working remotely is not a right. As a result, employees cannot demand it where conditions do not allow, while suitability is assessed by the relevant head of department, who is expected to consult other supervisors before final decisions are applied across a service.

Because the Cypriot model is based on mixed remote working, duties must therefore be examined to determine whether remote work can be combined with office presence without disrupting service delivery.

Indicative criteria include whether physical presence is necessary to serve the public, whether tasks rely on continuous in-office collaboration, whether duties are manual or field-based, whether work is primarily research and writing, whether regular meetings and official action are required, whether specialised laboratory or technical equipment is needed, and whether there is frequent reliance on physical files.

The manual adds that suitability should be re-evaluated as operational processes and technology evolve.

In addition, the law introduces minimum service thresholds. Employees must have completed at least one year in the position they hold, while fixed- and indefinite-term staff must have at least one year in the duties they are currently performing, allowing time for integration and training.

A narrower exception may apply where an employee is appointed after completing a year in similar duties as an employed person, subject to a decision by the head of department.

However, shift workers are excluded from work away from the workplace.

From an operational perspective, employees assessed as suitable and interested must first submit an “expression of interest” form and complete an attached occupational risk questionnaire covering the off-site work space, ergonomics and basic safety checks.

This questionnaire is reviewed and signed off by the head of department or an authorised officer.

Working from home is then granted only where the service provides the necessary equipment and software. In particular, the manual states that employees must have a service laptop, remote access to the service phone via Cisco Jabber, and access to official email via Microsoft Office 365.

It also notes that the Office Automation System eOASIS is a basic requirement where duties involve access to correspondence and work documents, since it ensures protected handling of official material.

At the first stage, however, employees whose duties require specialised information systems beyond eOASIS will not be able to work remotely, as remote access would require upgrades to the state’s infrastructure for security reasons.

In this context, the manual points to a project being promoted by the Deputy Ministry of Research to address those limitations.

For cybersecurity reasons, employees may not use a private computer, while remote work cannot apply to the handling of classified documents that are not archived in eOASIS.

At the same time, the manual provides for a stricter IT readiness process, stating that laptops should be configured by the department of information technology services, including Microsoft 365 applications such as Outlook, OneDrive and Teams, as well as Cisco Jabber and the required security tools.

It adds that a certificate of suitability (compliance certificate) is issued after installation, and no laptop may be used for working from home without it.

Initially, the manual allows for shared use of available laptops where feasible, provided each user logs in with personal credentials.

In addition, it states that official files should be stored on the employee’s Office 365 account, such as OneDrive, rather than locally on the device, while employees must also ensure they have a fast and secure internet connection at the remote working location.

The hybrid model is further supported by a cap on remote-working days. The council of ministers has set an annual maximum of 50 working days per calendar year.

However, for 2026, the first year of implementation, the limit has been set at 20 working days, in order to support a smoother transition.

Any unused days do not carry over into the following year.

As regards scheduling, responsibility is left to each service, which may set remote working on specific days of the week or month, or for continuous periods, depending on operational needs.

Even so, the manual recommends monthly or quarterly planning, while underlining that plans may need to be adjusted if official needs arise. It also leaves room for exceptional arrangements, in consultation with the immediate supervisor.

Applications must be submitted electronically through the system used to record employees’ arrival and departure times, which must be adapted to support this function.

Services without such a system are instructed to secure one, not only to support remote work but also to facilitate the other two approved flexible work arrangements. Where an application is rejected, the employee must be personally informed of the reasons by the immediate supervisor.

As for location, remote work is normally provided from the employee’s residence. In exceptional cases, however, heads of department may approve another location, provided official duties can be performed smoothly and all conditions are met.

Employees must ensure a suitable and exclusive workspace, with appropriate lighting and furniture, typically a desk and ergonomic chair, while the manual makes clear that responsibility for obtaining furniture rests with the employee.

The manual also devotes significant attention to occupational safety and health, setting out practical measures to reduce risks, including ergonomics, screen positioning, workspace conditions, breaks, electrical safety and work organisation. These requirements are explicitly linked to Cyprus’ safety and health at work law and related regulations.

On privacy and data protection, the guidance requires compliance with the EU’s GDPR and Cyprus’ national data-protection law, while placing responsibility on heads of department to ensure appropriate technical and organisational measures are in place.

At the same time, it states that supervisors must respect the confidentiality of communications and avoid intrusive continuous monitoring, while services are expected to address risks linked to tools used for work performed remotely, based on recommendations from the office of the commissioner for personal data protection.

Beyond equipment and rules, the manual emphasises that remote working does not change employment terms, duties or working hours. In that vein, employees must declare their working schedule when applying, and they cannot accumulate time credit or time deficit through remote work.

It also stresses that working away from the office should not be treated as a substitute for leave, childcare or sickness arrangements, even if it can indirectly make personal obligations easier to manage.

At the same time, the guidance introduces a clear “right to disconnect” principle.

Employees are therefore not required to remain connected after normal hours, and are not expected to respond to emails or instructions outside the regular schedule, except in urgent cases.

Supervisors, in turn, are advised to avoid sending messages after working hours, reinforcing boundaries between professional and personal time.

Supervision, meanwhile, is framed as outcome-based rather than presence-based. The manual states that managers should agree tasks and expectations in advance, while employees should send a short end-of-day email summarising what was handled and completed.

These records may be archived in a way that suits each service, including through a monthly tracking table where helpful.

Unsatisfactory performance can lead to remote work being stopped or future requests being rejected, while arrangements may also be interrupted if service needs require on-site presence, if an employee fails to respond to official calls, or if technical problems, including weak internet connectivity, disrupt work.

Finally, the manual places particular weight on the role of supervisors, arguing that successful implementation depends on a supportive management culture built around trust, communication and fair application across staff, while maintaining service delivery and accountability as remote work becomes part of the public service’s standard operating model.