New publication

Summary: Staff of the EPO is being advised regarding the "work-from-home" period (temporary), which is about maximising monopoly-granting rather than accommodating staff's preferences/comfort

The Central Staff Committee (CSC) of the EPO has circulated a new document for those working from home or wishing to work from home. It's not about a work "perk" but about compliance with safety rules, as COVID-19 isn't over (summertime tends to be less lethal but it's still more lethal this year than the same time period in prior years).

"The EPO isn't improving. Except in the eyes of IPO, BusinessEurope, and other special interest groups... to them, examiners are obstacles and quality means "how quickly can I get my monopoly?""Don't believe for a second that António Campinos is attempting to make life easier for staff. While he himself flouts safety rules (masks, distance etc.) he's assaulting the salaries of staff -- more so than Benoît Battistelli ever did. Campinos is subjected to government orders -- but even those he barely obeys! To give one example, he previously failed to provide masks to staff!

At any rate, or in any event, many people still work from home; it's not because the management prefers it that way, it's just a matter of continuing "business as usual"...

The CSC says: "With this publication we highlight for you some important topics you should be aware of when teleworking. Please familiarise yourself with the content of Circular 419 and do not hesitate to contact your local staff committee for any questions, issues, feedback you might have."

Notice the part about security: "You are performing work at a non-public and secure location outside the EPO (e.g., not in a Biergarten, not in a train)..."

Putting aside sobriety issues, it's worrying that some people take away such sensitive data home (VPN isn't security; it's a bogus security mindset trying to compensate for back doors built into a lot of proprietary software). Then again, the EPO already breaches data protection rules on many levels, including the outsourcing to untrusted, foreign parties which mine data and pass it around.

Munich, 08/06/2022 sc22072cp

New Ways of Working

Practical information for staff when teleworking

Dear Colleagues,

With this publication we highlight for you some important topics you should be aware of when teleworking.

1. Teleworking is voluntary

If you want to telework from anywhere within your host country or to come to the Office’s premises to work from there, that is your personal choice and you have the right to do so. Please notice that in any case, you need to register your preferred working location in advance (Article 10(1) – Circular 419) to ensure at all times that the registrations are up to date. Teleworking from abroad still needs to be approved by your line manager.

2. Accrual of flexi hours

You can now, regardless of whether you work from the Office or telework, accrue up to five flexi hours per week. Remember to also register them when teleworking.

3. Health & Safety / Insurance

Be aware that when you register teleworking you are implicitly acknowledging that you are personally responsible for the following:

- Your teleworking workplace complies with the Health & Safety regulations: Article 9(2) – Circular 419 - You are authorised to telework from the place you choose and by your home insurance: Article 13(1) – Circular 419 - You are performing work at a non-public and secure location outside the EPO (e.g., not in a Biergarten, not in a train): Annex - Circular 419

The first two topics would be important for you in case of future health problems caused by ergonomic issues or accidents during teleworking.

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4. Working hours

Please be aware that Article 15(1) – Circular 419 waives only the core hours.

All other relevant provisions in the Service Regulations (in particular Articles 55 and 57 ServRegs) and in the Guidelines on arrangements for working hours (e.g. Part 4j – ServRegs) remain unchanged, for example:

- Your normal working week shall not exceed forty hours. - You may not be required to work overtime except in cases of urgency or exceptional pressure of work and the total overtime shall not exceed 150 hours in any six months. - If you are in grade G6 or below you are entitled to compensatory leave or remuneration for overtime. - You shall NOT work more than 48 hours per week including overtime. - You have to work a minimum of 6 hours per day (if less you need to use flexitime or any other type of leave). - You shall work during the “normal working week”: Monday till Friday. - You shall work during “office hours”: 07:00 – 19:00. - A daily lunch break of at least 30 minutes is mandatory when working more than five hours. - 2 breaks of 15 minutes (30 minutes) are considered as working time. - You must respect minimum daily and weekly rest periods.

Please familiarise yourself with the content of Circular 419 and do not hesitate to contact your local staff committee for any questions, issues, feedback you might have.

Note: the attentive reader of the NWoW hub will have noticed that the allocation of office desks and rooms is conspicuously absent from the entire hub. If you attach some importance to having a desk (or room) assigned to you come September, you may want to enquire with your line manager how teleworkers will be assigned desks and rooms in the EPO buildings.

We wish you a good start in this new phase.

The Central Staff Committee

Working from home isn't a "gift"; even if you like working from your own home, remember that it's all about Campinos trying to grant as many monopolies as possible (more power to those who already made a fortune during the pandemic, seeing their small rivals struggle and perish).

The EPO isn't improving. Except in the eyes of IPO, BusinessEurope, and other special interest groups... to them, examiners are obstacles and quality means "how quickly can I get my monopoly?" ⬆