Unpaid Leave for Government Employees Cancelled

 The Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government has taken steps to immediately suspend the process of granting local and foreign unpaid leave that was previously in effect for public officials.

Ministry Secretary S. Aloka Bandara stated that this new measure was taken in accordance with a decision reached at the Cabinet meeting held on November 24th.

Following this decision, the Ministry Secretary has issued a circular to all Ministry Secretaries, Provincial Chief Secretaries, and Heads of Departments, informing them that the acceptance of new leave applications or applications for extending currently approved leave must be immediately stopped.

A special circular was introduced on June 22, 2022, allowing public officials to obtain local or foreign unpaid leave for a maximum period of five years, without hindering their seniority or pension.

Although the new decision is in effect,

the circular further states that officials who are currently on local or foreign leave can continue to enjoy that leave for the period they have been approved.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Administration confirms that officials who have received approval for leave but have not yet taken it, are not hindered from taking that leave for the approved period.