The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has stated that only civil servants undergoing treatment for serious illnesses will be eligible to apply for special health leave.
The Commission said an additional relaxation in the regulations allows employees to be granted leave under “special medical leave” if they are suffering from such serious illnesses.
As part of efforts to establish a modern civil service and improve convenience for employees, the Commission has revised regulations, including changes to the process for applying for leave in special circumstances. Under the revised system, employees are now required to apply directly to the Commission in such cases.
Speaking to PSM News, the Commission’s Legal Affairs Division Councillor General, Ibrahim Rasheed, said the opportunity to apply for leave in special circumstances has caused confusion among some employees. He said some employees have been requesting leave under the system without meeting the required conditions.
He explained that under the original regulation, employees suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer are eligible to apply for leave under “special medical leave”. He noted that processing applications that do not meet these criteria takes additional time and affects service delivery.
The Civil Service Commission also stated that applications for “special medical leave” must be submitted 15 days prior to the date on which the leave is required. However, the Commission has made arrangements to process leave requests as quickly as possible in urgent cases, even when applications are submitted within a shorter timeframe.
Under "special medical leave", an employee suffering from illness may apply for up to 60 days of leave on the first application. If the illness affects a family member, the employee may apply for up to 30 days of leave.
The Commission said allowing employees to apply directly for Special Health Needs Leave will reduce delays by shortening communication time between government offices and the Commission.