The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has gazetted an amendment to the Civil Service regulations, introducing a formal framework for emergency‑related absence and remote‑work arrangements.
Under the revised regulation, civil servants may request permission to work from home or another off‑site location when a medical professional registered with the Ministry of Health or a locally licensed health centre certifies that the employee cannot attend the office because of an emergency.
The amendment stipulates that permission will be granted only if the employee’s assigned duties can be carried out effectively outside the office and if the employee has the necessary resources and a suitable working environment. Employees approved for “work in absentia” must be assigned tasks that can be performed remotely and must be supervised and monitored daily to ensure uninterrupted delivery of public services. Should the employer deem the employee’s performance inadequate, the remote‑work arrangement may be terminated immediately.
All staff who are permitted to work off‑site must sign a confidentiality agreement, committing to protect official information and to remain reachable for any urgent office summons. The regulation also carves out exemptions for sectors where physical presence is essential with teachers, nurses and senior management staff being automatically excluded from the remote‑work provision, as their roles require on‑site attendance.