News
Public servants who exceed foreign leave to be sacked
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
Public sector employees who obtained long leave to travel abroad for work or other purposes will be considered to have vacated their post in the event they do not return to service after completing their leave or obtain an extension of leave, the Ministry of Public Administration has decided.
The move came after disclosures that some of the officials who had obtained leave under the special provisions granted in 2022 during the economic crisis period have not reported back to work.
Accordingly, the Public Administration Ministry Secretary Pradeep Yasaratna on Friday issued a directive to ministry secretaries, provincial chief secretaries, and department heads to promptly issue notices of vacation of posts if the officers have failed to return to work after completing their leave.
A warning also has been issued that, if any authority fails to initiate action against the offenders, disciplinary action should also be taken against the officers failing to take action in keeping with provisions of the Establishment Code.
More than 2,000 employees took advantage of the facility to take leave to secure foreign jobs or travel for other purposes.
The ministry secretary said, “There is a remarkable trend at present for certain officers who go abroad with approved leave to exceed the period of stay of foreign leave.”
Mr. Yasaratne pointed out that the lack of prompt action against officers, who abstain from reporting without obtaining a proper approval, has caused various administrative issues in the relevant institutions, thereby directly affecting the delivery of an efficient public service.
Public Administration State Minister Ashoka Priyantha told the Sunday Times the action was being taken to ensure strict discipline in the public service.
He said that among the actions that could be taken against the offending employees would be a delay in their promotions, stopping salary increments, and disciplinary action.
One of the objectives of granting leave to travel overseas was to provide an opportunity for officers to develop their skills in addition to earning additional income by gaining employment.
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