*Update 26.08.2025 here’s the new link with instructions on how to encode those TWA days [1], note that even Blue Book trainees can have 5 days. [2]*
Original article: If you still haven’t used up all your days of teleworking from anywhere (TWA)[*] do not forget to file the request in Sysper as soon as possible. Here’s how to do it [3]. We know of no plans to extend the validity of the 2023 days beyond the end-of-year deadline (the 2021 days could be used until 15.01.2022 [4]). Please at least request your full 2023 quota of days, even if you’re not 100% sure that you’ll use them: HR is looking at how many days are left over.
Article 11 of the March 2022 working time and hybrid working (WTHW) decision [5] gives all staff the right to enjoy up to 10 days of teleworking from abroad per year, upon their request, subject to the agreement of the line manager.
If you have a less-formal arrangement, please ensure that you have what you need in case of difficulties e.g. if you become sick and your certificate/bills show that you are outside your place of employment, will this be a problem? The Investigation and Disciplinary Office of the Commission took disciplinary action against a colleague found to be working from abroad, but in that case the colleague was found to be doing so without authorisation (see activity report 2021 [6], page 12).
If you still have TWA days to use, why not use them up first? HR has justified maintaining the limit at 10 days since staff are not using the full quota[**], so there’s no need for an increase. [7]
As per our December 2021 checklist [8]:
Please try to use up your full 10 days, even if you’re not 100% sure you’ll actually be outside your place of employment: HR states that the majority of staff do not use their full quota of 10 days, therefore there is no need for our suggested 60 days of TWA [7], the 10 days are more than sufficient for current needs [9]. So, even if you can only use up 2 of those days in what remains of the year, please do so!
As the year is drawing to a close (already!), Generation 2004 would like to remind you to send your request as soon as possible if you still want to use this possibility. Requesting with some notice is in the best interest of the service, as it will allow for guaranteeing business continuity. At the same time, we believe that TWA might be one tool-among others – to better reconcile work with family and personal life.
As the rules stand now, if you do not use your 10 days by the end of the year, you will not be able to carry them over to 2024. For next year you will have a new quota of 10 days of TWA. Generation 2004 again asks the administration through the existing formal channels, including the new joint committee on Working Time and Hybrid Working [10], to allow carry-over. This would be in line with the flexibility and culture of trust that are at the basis of the Decision.
A large share of staff have already used their TWA days, including managers. Importantly, it seems that so far the experience with TWA has been very positive and no issues were reported in relation to staff teleworking from outside the place of employment.
Given the positive outcome of this provision both for the services and for the well-being of colleagues, Generation 2004 calls on the administration to increase flexibility in the way TWA is implemented and to consider our proposal for 60 days a year of TWA [7] at least for the future revision of the WTHW decision.
Transfer of annual leave to 2024
Also, on the topic of not losing hard-earned rights, we remind those of you who have more than 12 days of annual leave remaining [11] that you may have the right to transfer them all. Note that if you are not allowed to take those days in excess of 12 now for ‘service reasons’ then get that in an email: ‘requirements of the service’ is a viable reason [12] to allow the transfer: please don’t lose out!
As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us [13], we’ve been through many of these processes.
If you appreciate our work, please consider becoming a member of Generation 2004 [14].
[*] Yes, really: ANYWHERE! Go for an extended holiday, so long as you have a stable internet connection and you take your laptop and headphones you can work from anywhere.
[**] Update 19.10.2023:
- Total number of Staff that used the possibility of teleworking outside the place
of employment (10 days max): 17 367 - Total number of days teleworked outside the place of employment: 128 966.5
- Average days of telework outside the place of employment taken per Staff member who made use of this possibility: 7.5
- (Sysper data, 9/6/2023 for period 1/4/2022 to 30/4/2023)
We intend to look closer at these figures in a future article.
Older updates
*Update 19.10.2023 use of TWA days figures added.* *Update 11.10.2023 the section on the IDOC report was clarified.*