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INRAE is organizing itself to maintain its activities during the new lockdown
Since Friday 30 October and the beginning of a new lockdown in France, INRAE has undertaken to pursue its research under a modified organization for at least four weeks. This organization should enable us to maintain all our activities, by remote working where it is possible.
Published on 02 November 2020
Following the announcement made by the President of the Republic on Wednesday 28 October 2020, of a new lockdown period for at least four weeks as from Friday 30 October, Philippe Mauguin, Chair and CEO of INRAE addressed staff to set out the measures and organization which will be put in place at the Institute. This period of confinement is not the same as in March, because the public service must ensure the continuity of its missions and the Prime Minister has indicated that “research activities must also be continued, by remote working when it’s possible but also on site when it isn’t possible”.
The circular of the Minister of the Civil Service of Thursday 29 October lays down the procedures for ensuring the continuity of public service in the context of the deterioration of the health crisis. It enables us to organize the pursuit of our ongoing research and experimentation activities while guaranteeing the individual protection of each staff member.
For our work community (except for the French West Indies & French Guiana research centre which is not affected by the announcements), this confinement period involves the following measures:
- Generalizing remote working: for all staff members whose work can be totally or principally carried out from home, they will remote work 5 days out of 5 (normal remote working and DPSE). They will be authorized by the Unit Head to work exceptionally on site when it is necessary, while respecting the site’s capacity.
- For activities which cannot be done remotely, the rule is presence on site, strictly respecting the site’s capacity and a minimum of moving about. Flexibility will be granted in the framework of DPSE if the work organization allows it and after approval by the Unit Head.
- Keeping Centres open, to enable:
- staff carrying out work which cannot be done remotely to work on site while respecting the site’s capacity.
- the continuity of research activities.
For all these activities on site, the strict respect of safety precautions remains the norm and must be enforced scrupulously to guarantee the maximum safety of staff members present. No collective on site activities (gatherings, etc) are authorized during this period. Meetings must be held remotely except in the case of a derogation granted by the Unit Heads.
The Centre Presidents in liaison with Unit Head will deliver all documents for professional travel. They will convene the CHSCTs in order to implement these measures at their Centre.