The Minister of Social Affairs calls for flexible timing in institutions

Minister of Social Affairs, Issam Red, on Monday 2 November 2026 in Tunisia, called for the application of flexible timing and open working hours mechanism within professional institutions to address climate change and volatile weather phenomena. This invitation came during his participation in a national workshop dedicated to researching the impact of climate change on human resource development and the reality of work.

The Minister stressed that the organization of work has been compelled to take into account the renewed constraints imposed by climate change, especially with the recording of field effects such as extreme heat waves and heavy rainfall in short periods of time and its accompanying unrest. He stressed the need for this time flexibility to ensure full legal working hours are met without disrupting the size of economic activity required.

The Minister said that the organization of working hours in enterprises needs continuous adaptation to protect procedures and ensure continuity of production, explaining that tackling climate volatility requires practical solutions that respond to changing field realities.

This proposal is linked to the legislative and regulatory framework of the Employment Journal and the Occupational Health and Safety System concerning the determination of working hours and the protection of workers in different work environments. The ministry announced in October 2026 the launch of a pathway to review the provisions of the Employment Journal, and draft laws to regulate emerging work patterns, including remote working mechanisms and the adaptation of legislation to current transformations.

The next stage is to formulate legislative amendment proposals or issue new regulatory texts to integrate time flexibility measures into the formal professional system, to provide clear regulatory frameworks for businesses and institutions to address climate emergency risks.