Düsseldorf (dpa/lnw) - Between the years, many ministries have become even emptier than they already are due to the usual home office regulations: to save energy, operations in the houses are reduced again, the heating is turned down. This was the result of a dpa survey in the government departments.
The Ministry of the Environment is closing down after Christmas: "Operations in the office building will be reduced to a minimum between December 27th and 30th," said a spokeswoman: "The temperature in the ministry building will be reduced to below the threshold of 19 degrees Celsius during this time." Work is done from home.
In the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the heating is already turned off from Friday to Monday on 14 floors (two thirds of the former Mannesmann building). According to a spokesman, this will also be the case between Christmas and the New Year. Those who cannot work at home get a free desk on one of the heated floors.
The Ministry of Education relies on a minimum staffing on site and, in addition to working from home, also advises employees to take time off: Applications for vacation or time off in lieu would be “generously approved” for the time between the years.
In the other ministries and the State Chancellery, the temperature is lowered in the empty offices. The employees are already required to switch everything off - not even to leave it in standby mode. A government spokesman emphasizes: "All the highest state authorities ensure that the service operation is appropriate to the holiday season and in this sense unrestricted in the period between Christmas and New Year."
