Andhra government cuts office working hours to curb coronavirus spread

Without conceding the employees' demand to extend the work-from-home option in view of the spread of coronavirus, the Andhra Pradesh government on Friday gave some relief by curtailing the working hours. All employees working in government departments in the Secretariat here, offices of heads of departments, district offices and sub-district offices would now have to work from 8 AM to 11.30 AM as the COVID-control curfew begins at noon. The Head of the Office shall take stock of the work and decide on how many and which employees have to stay back in the office and arrange for appropriate passes for them, if it is beyond noon, Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das said in an order. The flexible working hours would, however, not apply to staff of essential services departments like medical and health, energy, municipal administration and panchayat raj, the Chief Secretary said.

The State government has been imposing curfew daily from noon to 6 AM to curb the spread of coronavirus as cases have been on a steep rise.

The curfew would be in force till at least May 18 as per the governments preliminary order.