TESDA CIRCULAR

SUBJECT: TESDA's Policies on Flexible Work Page 1 of 10 page/s

Arrangements Number 043 , Series of
2022

Date Issued: Effectivity: Supersedes:

29 June 2022 As indicated

In the interest of the service and in view of Civil Service Commission

Memorandum Circular No. 06, Series of 2022 on the Policies on Flexible Work
Arrangements in the Government, the following guidelines are hereby implemented:

I. OBJECTIVES

TESDA adopts the following objectives stipulated in CSC MC No. 06, s. 2022
on the Policies on Flexible Work Arrangements in the Government:

A. General Objective

These policies aim to institutionalize relevant and appropriate work

arrangements for government officials and employees to ensure efficient
and effective performance of governmental functions and delivery of
public services, and to ensure protection of their health, safety, and
welfare at all times.

B. Specific Objectives

1. To ensure protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the

government officials and employees at all times;

2. To ensure that government officials and employees achieve the

objectives set by the organization, and, in the same way, the
organization achieves the objectives that it has set in its strategic
plan under any circumstance;

3. To boost the morale and enhance the welfare of government

officials and employees by giving them the opportunity to
accomplish their task's through appropriate work arrangement/s
thereby increasing employee productivity and performance, and
allowing work-life balance;

4. To encourage agencies to adopt Information and Communications

Technology (ICT)-enabled work and relevant tasks that can be
performed remotely; and

5. To provide reasonable work arrangement/s to senior citizens,

persons with disability (PWDs), pregnant and nursing mothers,
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SUBJECT: TESDA's Policies on Flexible Work Page 2 of 10 page/s
Arrangements Number 0'I.3 , Series of
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Date Issued: Effectivity: Supersedes:

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immunocompromised individuals or persons with chronic
conditions, and those who suffered from accidents affecting
mobility but can physically and mentally work.

II. SCOPE

This guideline shall cover all Central, Regional, Provincial and District
Offices including TESDA Technology Institutions officials and employees
holding plantilla positions including casual and contractual. However,
consultants and employees on a job-order basis who are merely hired to
address the exigencies of public service, without an employer-employee
relationship with TESDA, and without leave benefits and privileges being
enjoyed by those holding plantilla positions, as expressly provided for in their
contract, shall not be covered by this Circular.

III. CONCEPT AND DEFINITION OF TERMS

TESDA COROPOTI may adopt any of the following flexible work

arrangements:

A. Flexiplace- refers to an output-oriented work arrangement that authorizes

government officials or employees to render service at a location away from
their office, either in the home/residence of the official or employee, agency
satellite office, or another fixed place, on a temporary basis duly approved by
the head of office/agency.

Flexiplace work arrangement has three (3) types, namely:

1. Work from home (WFH) - is a work arrangement where the government

officials or employees work at home or their residence;

2. Work from satellite office - is a work arrangement where the

government officials or employees, instead of reporting to their office,
report for work at their agency satellite office near their place of
residence (e.g., central/other regional office/field office); and

3. Work from another fixed place - is a work arrangement where the

government officials and employees render services within the
Philippines, at a place conducive for productive work and efficient
performance of official duties and responsibilities, other than their home
or residence and satellite offices.
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SUBJECT: TESDA's Policies on Flexible Work Page 3 of 10 page/s
Arrangements Number 0'16 , Series of
2022

Date Issued: Effectivity: Supersedes:

29 June 2022 As indicated

The adoption of the flexiplace work arrangement may be allowed under any of
the following conditions:

1. Regular - under this work arrangement, the government officials or

employees may request to work at an alternative worksite on a regular
and recurring basis. Said government officials or employees may be
allowed to work off-site for a period agreed upon with the supervisor and
duly approved by the head of agency/office.

2. Situational - this work arrangement is appropriate for ad-hoc task/s or

assignment/s that require/s short period of time or project-based , e.g.,
project proposal preparation, reports preparation, research, case
adjudication, and other analogous circumstances.

3. Medical - this work arrangement may be allowed for government officials

or employees who are recuperating from a medical condition, e.g.,
Osteogenesis Imperfecta, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney
disease, and other analogous diseases, which do not affect his/her
ability to perform regular work assignment at an alternate worksite as
certified by the attending physician. The duration of the flexiplace work
arrangement shall be based on the recommendation of the attending
physician. Requests for flexiplace due to medical conditions shall be
supported by the medical records of the government official or employee
concerned.

B. Compressed Workweek- refers to a work arrangement whereby the forty (40)

hours of the workweek for five (5) days of the government officials or
employees is compressed to four (4) days or less, as may be applicable.

C. Skeleton Workforce- refers to a work arrangement where a minimum number

of government officials or employees is required to man the office to render
service when full staffing is not possible.

D. Flexitime- refers to a work arrangement where the agency is allowed to adopt

flexible time for its government officials and employees from 7:00 AM to 7:00
PM on a daily basis, provided that the required forty (40) hours of the workweek
are complied with.
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SUBJECT: TESDA's Policies on Flexible Work Page 4 of 10 page/s
Arrangements Number 043 , Series of
2022

Date Issued: Effectivity: Supersedes:

29 June 2022 As indicated

IV. Implementing Guidelines and Requirements

A. General Guidelines

a. The flexible working hours shall not start earlier than 7:00 in the
morning and end later than 7:00 in the evening.

b. All officials and employees shall render not less than forty (40)
hours a week, exclusive of time for lunch.

c. All offices shall ensure and observe the core working hours from
8:00 in the morning to 5:00 in the afternoon. This is to assure the
public of continuous service delivery even during lunch break.

d. The flexible working schedule shall not apply during Mondays or

the next working day if Monday is declared a holiday in
observance of the Flag Raising Ceremony.

e. The concerned employee shall be in agreement with his/her

immediate supervisor on his/her chosen/selected work
arrangement.

f. Trainers/Instructors/Teaching staff and TESD Specialist positions

with teaching functions in the TTIs shall observe the 8:00 am to
5:00 pm schedule in consonance with the training schedule in
their respective centers/institutions.

g. Any work beyond forty (40) hours a week shall be subject to

compensatory time-off as may be authorized by the head of
office/operating unit in accordance with the provisions of
CSC-DBM Joint Circular No. 2, s. 2015 dated November 25,
2015.

h. Monitoring of attendance shall be based on the chosen/selected

work arrangement of each employee.

For working arrangements other than flexitime, each operating

office shall devise an appropriate and applicable attendance
monitoring system/tool that shall ensure the observance of
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SUBJECT: TESDA's Policies on Flexible Work Page 5 of 10 page/s
Arrangements Number 043 , Series of
2022

Date Issued: Effectivity: Supersedes:

29 June 2022 As indicated

rendering of not less than forty (40) hours a week, exclusive of
time for lunch.

i. Each operating unit shall devise a performance monitoring system

that shall be used by all officials and employees regardless of
his/her work arrangement, anchored to the agency's Strategic
Performance Management System to ensure the attainment of
targets per approved OPCR/IPCR.

Failure to accomplish the assigned task/s within the timelines set

by Immediate Supervisor or Head of Office per approved
OPCR/IPCR may be grounds to deny subsequent requests for
flexible work arrangement.

The approved individual flexible work arrangement shall be valid

for at least three months or be continuously adopted and
implemented from the date of approval and implementation.
However, adoption and implementation of individual flexible work
arrangement may be revoked or amended in the interest and
exigency of the service as recommended by the immediate
supervisor duly approved by the head of office.

k. Employees under WFH and Work from Another Fixed Place are
not entitled to Compensatory Overtime Credit/Overtime Pay.

I. Offices in the Central Office shall submit the agreed work

arrangement of their respective employees to HRMD-AS and to
FASD/Administrative Unit for the ROPOTIs.

B. Parameters in the Implementation of Flexible Work Arrangements

In view of the flexible working arrangements laid down in the

aforementioned CSC Memorandum Circular, the following work
arrangements shall be adopted and implemented in the agency:

1. Work From Home (WFH)

a. TESDA adopts the Work from home (WFH) arrangement provided

that the tasks of the employee concerned can be accomplished
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SUBJECT: TESDA's Policies on Flexible Work Page 6 of 10 page/s
Arrangements Number oq3 , Series of
2022

Date Issued: Effectivity: Supersedes:

29 June 2022 As indicated

outside the office. This arrangement shall be mutually agreed
between the official or employee and the concerned supervisor.

b. All WFH arrangements' requests shall be approved by the

Director General duly endorsed by the Regional/Executive
Directors and Deputy Director General concerned.

c. Said request shall be accompanied by a justification or medical

certificate, and certification that the tasks assigned to the
concerned official/employee can be accomplished outside the
office.

d. However, during the emergence of a national or local outbreak of

severe infectious disease and/or occurrence of natural or
man-made calamities, a WFH arrangement is likewise extended
to affected TESDA officials and employees.

e. On these occurrences, the Immediate Supervisor shall have the

full authority to grant such arrangement.

2. Work from Satellite Office

a. This arrangement can be adopted only when an official or

employee is eligible for a WFH arrangement; however, said
employee lives or resides near a TESDA office, but may need
office equipment and facilities in order to accomplish his/her
assigned tasks.

3. Work from Another Fixed Place

a. This arrangement can also be adopted provided that the

employee concerned is eligible for a WFH arrangement and has
all the necessary office equipment and facilities in accomplishing
and delivering his/her assigned tasks. He/she may opt for a more
conducive workplace other than their home, residence, or satellite
office.
 TESDA CIRCULAR
SUBJECT: TESDA's Policies on Flexible Work Page 7 of 10 page/s
Arrangements Number 0,43 , Series of
2022

Date Issued: Effectivity: Supersedes:

29 June 2022 As indicated

4. Compressed Workweek

a. Those officials and employees who are not eligible for WFH may
be allowed to avail this arrangement.

b. As stated in the general guidelines, the flexible working schedule

shall not apply during Mondays or the next working day if Monday
is declared a holiday in observance of the Flag Raising
Ceremony. Hence, TESDA officials and employees may choose
from the following workweek schedules:

Option A: Monday - Thursday

Option B: Monday to Tuesday, and Thursday to Friday
Option C: Monday, and Wednesday to Friday
Option D: Monday to Wednesday, and Friday

c. However, each operating unit shall ensure that the implemented

compressed workweek shall not hamper the public service
delivery from Monday to Friday.

d. Flexitime schedule shall not apply to the compressed workweek.

A daily schedule of 7:30am to 6:30pm shall apply, instead.

5. Skeleton Workforce

a. During occurrence wherein a full staffing is not possible, this

skeleton workforce shall be adopted.

b. The Immediate Supervisor shall identify who shall serve the

skeleton workforce to ensure the non-disruption of public service
delivery.

c. The assigned skeleton workforce shall comply with the normal

working hours or not less than eight hours a day for five days a
week or a total of forty (40) hours a week exclusive of time for
lunch.

d. TESDA officials and employees who are identified as skeleton

workforce and failed to report on their assigned working days shall
be considered absent.
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SUBJECT: TESDA's Policies on Flexible Work Page 8 of 10 page/s
Arrangements Number 01+3 , Series of
2022

Date Issued: Effectivity: Supersedes:

29 June 2022 As indicated

6. Flexitime

a. TESDA officials and employees may opt to choose this flexitime

arrangement and shall observe the following guidelines:

i. The official and employee concerned shall render not less

than a total of forty (40) hours a week for five (5) days a
week, exclusive of time for lunch.

ii. The working hours shall start not earlier than 7:00 AM and
end not later than 7:00 PM. Under this arrangement,
officials and employees may choose their time to report for
work (time-in) in the morning and time to leave the office
(time-out) daily, provided that they have rendered not less
than eight (8) hours, exclusive of time for lunch.

iii. Respective Heads of operating units shall ensure that the

public is assured of their frontline services from 8:00 AM to
5:00 PM, including lunch break.

V. Entitlement to Support Mechanisms/Employee Benefits/ICT Resources

The Heads of Office shall ensure that officials and employees are provided with
the following support mechanisms, employee benefits, and ICT resources:

1. Support Mechanisms

1.1. Respective office shall provide appropriate personal protective

equipment to frontline service providers, officials, and employees
who are required to physically report to work during the pandemic
or other calamities;

1.2. During a pandemic or occurrence of calamities, respective office

shall provide service vehicle or transportation facilities to transport
officials and employees required to physically report to work,
whenever practicable, subject to budgeting, accounting, and
auditing rules and regulations;
 TESDA CIRCULAR
SUBJECT: TESDA's Policies on Flexible Work Page 9 of 10 page/s
Arrangements Number 043 , Series of
2022

Date Issued: Effectivity: Supersedes:

29 June 2022 As indicated

1.3. Respective office shall shoulder the reimbursement of laboratory
and medical expenses incurred by TESDA officials and
employees in compliance with protocols, as issued by proper
authorities, who are on official travel during the period of
pandemic or emergence of any infectious disease;

1.4. Respective office shall ensure that TESDA officials and

employees are afforded health/psychosocial interventions (e.g.,
free counseling sessions, online webinars, etc.) to support TESDA
officials and employees in addressing problems related to mental
well-being;

1.5. Reasonable expenses incurred by TESDA officials and

employees (e.g., electricity bills, internet connection cost, etc.)
may be defrayed by the office concerned only when there is
imposition of WFH arrangement due to emergence of national or
local outbreak of a severe infectious disease and/or the
occurrence of natural or manmade calamities subject to
budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations; and

1.6. Other monetary and forms of incentives as may be allowed by the

Office of the President or other authorized agencies or upon
Policies on FWA in the Government approval by the head of
office/agency subject to budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules
and regulations.

2. Employee Benefits

2.1. TESDA officials and employees shall be provided equal

opportunities in terms of awards, promotions, training, and career
development (e.g., Information Technology-literacy programs and
other related employment considerations), regardless of the work
arrangement that they have adopted, in consonance with the
existing civil service law, rules and regulations; and

2.2. Medical benefits shall be granted to TESDA officials and

employees, who sustained wounds and/or injuries while in the
performance of their official duties, regardless of their work
arrangement subject to the conditions under CSC-DBM Joint
Circular No. 1, s. 2006, as amended by CSC-DBM Joint Circular
No. 1, s. 2015, and the agency's Collective Negotiation
Agreement with the accredited employees' association.
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TESDA CIRCULAR
SUBJECT: TESDA's Policies on Flexible Work Page 10 of 10 page/s
Arrangements Number 043 , Series of
2022

Date Issued: Effectivity: Supersedes:

29 June 2022 As indicated

3. ICT resources while on flexible work arrangement

3.1. TESDA Operating Units are enjoined to invest on annual

subscriptions to software that enables secure and more efficient
management of task/s and remote collaboration for all officials
and employees.

Respective office shall provide its officials and employees

appropriate ICT resources, such as but not limited to
computers/laptops, phones, authorized software, including
reimbursement of Internet and mobile data subscription expenses,
subject to budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and
regulations to adequately perform their duties;

3.2. Personal devices and equipment of TESDA officials and

employees may be used if the provision of agency-owned ICT
resources is not feasible; and

3.3. Each operating unit shall adopt measures to ensure protection of

government properties (e.g., office equipment) and provide
necessary support (e.g., troubleshooting and maintenance of
mobile office equipment) for TESDA officials and employees
under the flexible work arrangements.

This Circular shall take effect immediately. Wide dissemination of this Circular is
hereby enjoined.

CT
V144,4
SEC. ISIDRO S LAPERA, Ph.D., CSEE
Director General