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State-job rejects’ appeals to be evaluated, as unemployed grads plan more protests
The Government will evaluate the appeals of thousands of graduates whose appointment letters were withdrawn on the basis that they once held jobs with EPF and ETF benefits, a top official said.
This week, about 7000 graduates staged silent protests outside District Secretariats and presented petitions urging the authorities that the injustice done to them be reversed, said their spokesperson Amila Iroshani.
A demonstration is also planned outside the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday with some unemployed graduates vowing to stay put there until they are given jobs. They first received appointment letters for a state job under the Government’s job scheme for unemployed graduates but later told they had been rejected.
But Public Administration Ministry Secretary J.J. Ratnasiri said the Government would not work “according to their agendas”. Due process will be followed. The deadline for appeals ended on Tuesday. A special committee will do the evaluations.
The Ministry expects around 6,000 appeals to come in from applicants who were rejected for having held jobs with EPF and ETF benefits after leaving university. Applicants rejected on the basis of other factors may also appeal but only the first category has a mandated process.
Appeals were accepted with documentation such as the last pay slip and proof of unemployment in the form of a termination letter. The District and Divisional Secretariats were tasked with collecting information.
Those who were rejected for holding a foreign degree will be given the chance to appeal through interviews. “Officials will individually investigate and validate the graduates accordingly,” the Ministry said.