Members have raised questions with the Branch on specific points. We have raised these with PCS DWP Group and have received answers, the details are published below:

 

Question 1:

 

People are being told that from October 2016 when the changes to the DWP Operating hours.

 

The following paragraph refers in the employee deal:

 

24. The Department intends to offer a service to customers along the following lines:

• from October 2016, business lines will operate from 08:00 to 18:00 (or until 20:00 in CMG, which will reduce to 19:30 from January 2017) Monday to Friday; this means that teams will need to cover across 07.45 to 18:30, recognising that we need to provide a core service from 9am to 5pm (e.g. Jobcentres).

 They will no longer be able to come into work before 7:30 am.

 

Will the existing FWH agreements apply, until the new FWH agreement is negotiated, and is there any link between the changes to the DWP Operating hours in October and restrictions to existing FWH agreements?

 Answer

 There is no change to operating hours in October 2016 or to current FWH arrangements. The changes come in in Feb 2017.