Province ends hybrid work policy effective Feb. 1; AUPE encourages members to request hybrid as usual

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on November 7, 2025.

The province is ending its interim hybrid work policy starting in February.

The Alberta government announced last month that employees of the Alberta Public Service will be required to return to a five day per week in-office schedule beginning Feb. 1.

A statement from the Deputy Ministers’ Council in October stated that 44 per cent of the APS workforce, or approximately 12,600 APS employees, participated in hybrid arrangements.

The statement explains that the policy was implemented in response to the public health crisis and is being discontinued due to changing circumstances across the public and private sectors.

The statement points to Ontario’s announcement to end its hybrid work-from-home policy in August. Ontario civil servants will be mandated to return to full in-person work by Jan. 5.

The province says it will continue to offer flexibility to employees as needed.

“The APS remains committed to flexibility through other policies which employees can still access based on operational needs, such as hours of work averaging arrangements, flexible hours arrangements and modified work schedules.

“Medical accommodations will continue to be considered under the Duty to Accommodate Policy,” read the statement.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees released a statement Oct. 31 in which the union said the province agreed to clarify hybrid work language during the latest round of collective bargaining.

The resulting Letter of Clarification states that members can apply to work from home, and the government would have 30 days to reply and provide a rationale for their decision.

“The union believes your hybrid work language is clear and that members should request hybrid work arrangements as usual,” read the statement.