Amid ongoing adverse weather conditions that have put much of the Dominican Republic on alert, the country’s Ministry of Public Administration (MAP) has issued a formal directive ordering all government agencies to transition to a reduced in-person work scheme, with a strong push toward remote work arrangements for eligible roles.
The official circular, signed by MAP Minister Sigmund Freund, lays out targeted accommodations for at-risk employees, prioritizing remote work for staff residing in flood-prone or otherwise vulnerable zones, as well as for those who commute into Greater Santo Domingo from outlying areas. Freund’s order emphasizes that these workers should be permitted to carry out their duties off-site whenever their job responsibilities allow, to reduce exposure to dangerous travel and flood-related hazards.
Under the new policy, government institutions must maintain only the minimum on-site staffing required to keep core operations running safely and consistently. All essential in-person citizen services must remain open and fully functional, with agencies required to pre-arrange personnel rosters to deliver continuous, efficient support to members of the public who rely on in-person assistance.
The circular specifically underscores that critical frontline services cannot afford any disruption. Sectors including public health, law enforcement and public safety, emergency response, and disaster relief operations are required to maintain full operational capacity to respond to any weather-related emergencies that may arise.
The policy was rolled out in direct response to official hazard alerts issued by national civil protection bodies, most prominently the country’s Emergency Operations Center (COE). In addition to implementing the reduced work scheme, Freund has directed all institutional heads to maintain constant monitoring of changing weather conditions, and to stand ready to implement stricter adjustments if conditions deteriorate. These further measures could include deeper cuts to in-person work hours or a full temporary suspension of on-site government operations if the adverse weather worsens.