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Home cultivations of Government officers to be supervised

17 Jun 2022

 
  • Work-from-home to continue on Friday for others 
  • No OT/holiday pay for those serving in offices on Fridays/weekends
  Following the decision to provide a holiday on Fridays for three months for public officers to have an opportunity to plant food crops in their home gardens, it has been decided to supervise their efforts through Agriculture, Research, and Production Assistant Officers or Economic Development Officers engaged in the respective divisions. “Encourage the officers to engage in home gardening or cultivating short-term crops during the day on which the offices are closed, and prepare a programme for the responsible institutions to supervise their efforts through Agriculture, Research, and Production Assistant Officers or Economic Development Officers engaged in the respective divisions,” stated a circular issued in this regard.  This circular was issued yesterday (16) by the Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry, stipulating the provisions to be adhered to when the four-day work week rule comes into effect on 24 June.  The circular, which was published following Cabinet approval being granted on Monday (13) to a four-day work week, notes several provisions that should be followed when Government offices are closed down every Friday, starting from 24 June.  The circular instructed that in cases where the relevant officers are already following the work-from-home method, that they be allowed to follow that method for the performance of duties even on this holiday.  “Restrict, as far as possible, the calling of employees to offices during this day on which offices are closed, and take action to reduce the expenses for water, electricity, and other connected expenses with the application of this measure. Furthermore, the officers serving in the offices, which are closed on Friday, should not be engaged in duties either on an overtime (OT) basis or holiday pay on such Fridays or on Saturdays and Sundays falling immediately after that Friday.  “Also, the officers who perform their duties under the work from home method, should not be engaged in duties on an overtime basis or on holiday pay on such Fridays or on Saturdays, Sundays, or public holidays.”  The circular has also stated that if a public holiday falls within the five working days of the week, other than on a Friday, then that Friday of the week should be treated as a normal working day and offices must remain open.  It has exempted those who provide essential services such as those concerning water, electricity, health, defence, education, transport, ports and airports-related services and those in offices which are decided to remain open by a Secretary of the respective Ministry. It has also exempted those working on a shift basis before the issuance of the Public Administration Circular 10/2022 dated 25 May 2022. “The Judicial Service Commission will provide necessary instructions to institutions in the Judiciary regarding the implementation of this Cabinet decision,” the circular added.  The Ministry said that the decision to implement a four-day work week was taken since it has become difficult for the officers in the public as well as the private sectors to use public transport services and satisfy their transport requirements with the help of private transport modes as a result of the issues that have arisen in the transport sector in the face of limits in the fuel supply. Moreover, various parties have made representations that a food security crisis may also arise within the country in the future.  “Having taken this situation into consideration, the Cabinet has decided at the Cabinet meeting held on Monday to close down the Government offices on every Friday, subject to certain provisions, for a period of three months, with a view to provide an opportunity to public officers to plant food crops in their home gardens whilst staying at home.”


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