Department of Education accused of 'reckless' disregard for COVID safety

It comes as one staff member tested positive at its Garema Court office, with a second suspected case awaiting results at its primary office building on 50 Marcus Clarke street.

The Community and Public Sector Union has alleged executive staff at the department's Garema Court held an event on December 6 in breach of COVID regulations to celebrate the office's return after months under lockdown.

While it was planned to be a "COVID-safe" event, more than 30 staff gathered in an area that was restricted to just four staff.

Education staff alleged senior officials, and their administration teams, went around to different units to encourage more staff to attend.

Staff felt "pressured" to attend the event at the urging of senior staff, leaving them feeling unsafe on their first day back in the office after lockdown, the union said.

A department spokesperson said it was made aware of the event on Wednesday and is undergoing a review of the circumstances.

It insisted its workplace arrangements were consistent with phase C of the national plan.

But the Community and Public Sector Union deputy secretary Beth Vincent-Pietsch labelled the skirting of safety measures by senior bureaucrats as "reckless".

"DESE arbitrarily fast-tracked returning people to offices to toe the government line, even while the Delta and Omicron outbreaks continued," she said.

"The department was so reckless with its COVID-19 plan that it rounded up staff to attend a morning tea in a room meant for four people."

The allegations put to the department this week coincide with the December stand down period with concerns some close contacts of cases will spend Christmas in self-isolation.

Public Service Minister Ben Morton last month urged public servants to return to the office following high vaccination rates in the ACT and an easing of restrictions.

But department plans to stagger the return were allegedly cut short and "spooked" public servants returned to offices earlier than expected from late November and early December.

A staff member, who worked at the Garema Court office on Monday, has since tested positive to COVID-19.

The department's chief operating officer Marcus Markovic emailed staff working on level one at Garema Court they were allowed to return to the office but could discuss with their manager an option to work from home.

But for staff without that privilege, additional measures would now be in place.

"The site has been cleaned and it is safe to work from the office," Mr Markovic said in an email seen by The Canberra Times.

"However, all staff that were present at Level 1 Garema Court on Monday 20 December may wish to discuss their personal circumstances with their managers and work from home, in agreement with their manager.

"All national office staff should avoid moving between office buildings and floor levels at Garema Court unless absolutely necessary."

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The union has alleged a number of staff are still waiting on decisions regarding their working from home applications.

The spokesperson said the department's People Branch had "not received any queries from staff regarding delays in approving working from home applications".

But Ms Vincent-Pietsch said the department should aim to be more flexible, especially in the lead up to the holiday period.

"Working from home is a legitimate control measure, as is physical distancing," she said.

"The department must be flexible about its COVID safety plans, give assurance to workers for a safe holiday season, and ensure it is doing everything to ensure a safe workplace, which it is clearly not doing right now."

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