Civil servants in Cyprus banned from working remotely in cafés, parks and other public places

On Monday, September 8, 2025, the Finance Committee of the House of Representatives of Cyprus heard a representative of the Department of Public Administration, who outlined in detail the provisions of the new law aimed at introducing remote work in the public sector. According to the new regulation, civil servants are allowed to work remotely only from home — working from cafés and other public places with internet access is strictly prohibited.

The law provides for a flexible model combining office presence with remote work — subject to approval by the immediate supervisor. The starting dates and the number of permitted remote days will be determined by the Council of Ministers, which will also establish the procedure for the initial application for this format of work.

Remote work will be available only to those whose official duties allow tasks to be performed outside the office; employees working in shifts will not have access to this format.

Equipment and security requirements

To implement remote work, strict technical requirements are set by law. Employees must use official computers and connect to secure office automation systems to access official files.

Performance control and employee rights

Work efficiency will be evaluated based on results rather than monitoring methods. This allows moving away from traditional attendance control and focusing on quality task execution.

Representatives of several unions, including PASYDY and ISOTITA, supported the bill. They noted the fairness of the approach, the voluntary participation, and the guaranteed right to disconnect. Trade unions also initiated discussions on introducing allowances and compensations for civil servants, similar to those already applied in the private sector.

Committee comments

Members of the parliamentary committee requested further clarification on remote work monitoring procedures and implementation details. It should be noted that the exact dates of the law’s entry into force have not yet been set — they will be determined by the Council of Ministers.