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The Catalan Government considers paying up to 200 euros a month for returning to the office
The Catalan Government is considering paying between 90 and 200 euros a month to public employees who give up remote working and return to working in person. The proposal is still under negotiation, but it has already opened an important debate about work-life balance, transport and work organisation in Catalonia.
The measure is called the “operational attendance supplement” and is part of talks with trade unions to introduce a 35-hour working week in the Catalan administration. It has not been approved and key points still need to be settled.
The incentive would affect civil servants and public employees who currently have days of remote working and agree to return to the office. According to the available data, more than 15,000 Generalitat workers currently carry out part of their working day remotely.
The proposal comes at a time when many administrations are reviewing the balance between in-person work and remote working. For some departments, restoring more physical presence can facilitate meetings, internal service and team coordination. For many workers, however, it means once again taking on commuting, lost time and greater daily expenditure.
The proposal has not received a unanimous union response. IAC CATAC clearly rejects it, considering that it penalises remote working and may worsen work-life balance. UGT and CCOO are willing to examine it if the supplement is voluntary, fair and does not create differences between workers.
There are still important doubts. It is not clear whether the extra payment would also apply to those who already always work in person, whether it would vary according to professional category or whether it would be linked to certain posts. These details will be decisive in determining whether the measure is seen as compensation or as a grievance.
The debate also has a very everyday reading in Barcelona and the metropolitan area. Returning to the office more days means more trips by metro, Rodalies, bus or car, more pressure at rush hour and more spending on meals, transport and family organisation.
For employees, the question will not only be whether 90 or 200 euros compensate for giving up remote working. The cost of commuting again every day, the time lost on the journey and the room left for work-life balance when the office once again occupies the centre of the routine will also weigh heavily.