Could be intentional. Then again it could be like that time the drill sergeant was asked why we have to spend so much time cleaning our rifles: "Because it was made by the lowest bidder, Private!"
You'd be surprised (or not) at how often public sector workers have to take unscheduled vacation due to a software or network problem that makes it impossible to do their job. In the private sector, they'd just hand you a mop or paint brush.