Their Excellencies the Ministers

It has come to the attention of the Civil Service Bureau that some Ministries have in the past, permitted employees to carry out their normal duties and responsibilities during periods when they have been granted annual leave. In some cases, employees were compensated as “daily hires” and in others they worked without compensation but were permitted to earn leave.

Leave should be granted to employees in a manner which brings the greatest benefit for their own as well as the public interest. This cannot be achieved without taking their leave... Permitting employees to work during their leave is considered as a deprivation and against current regulations.

Therefore, this matter should be looked at carefully with consideration of the following:

First	Employees shall not be authorized to work in the Ministry during their leave with or without pay.
Second	Civil Service Bureau must be notified of the cases whereby annual leave cannot be granted to some employees due to work requirements, and the cases where employees’ leave will exceed the authorized maximum if they continue to work which will lead to their leave being forfeited, so that these cases be dealt with exceptionally.
Third	C.S.C. will study all alternatives in an effort to satisfy the needs of management along with employees rights to take their leave, legally and properly consistent with good management practices.

The foregoing will be incorporated into a forthcoming regulation on the subject of leave.

JAWAD SALIM AL-ARAYED
MINISTER OF STATE FOR CABINET AFFAIRS