Rules for suspending civil servants
Why are some civil servants placed on indefinite leave with no written explanation of the allegations against them and other civil servants continue to work with pay when there are charges against them such as theft from their government department? Why doesn’t government have a policy that applies evenly to everyone?
Auntie’s answer: I wonder if there might be confusion between “indefinite” and “required”. There have certainly been cases of required leave being imposed on civil servants, some of them very high profile. But to clarify the situation, I asked Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, who heads the civil service, to weigh in.
He said, “I am not aware of any civil servant being placed on indefinite leave. I am also not aware of any case where a civil servant has been placed on required leave without an explanation.”
Mr Manderson also pointed to both the Public Service Management Law (2013 Revision) and Personnel Regulations (2013 Revision) for the specific rules concerning placing civil servants on leave. He explained that those two documents set out “the procedure to be followed when placing a staff member on required leave and I expect that these procedures are being followed”.
The regulations detail the different scenarios for suspending civil servants, including timeframes, pay involved and the procedures for warning employees about concerns over possible infractions.
I want to add that being charged with an offence, such as theft, is quite different from being convicted. Under the law, a civil servant can be suspended after being charged, and then dismissed if subsequently convicted.
Category: Ask Auntie
Could Mr Manderson tell us if it is true that there are over 20 civil servants on (paid) required leave at present? The public who pay their salaries should really know.
Especially if one of them has been charged with theft from her government department but continues to work in the department. So unfair when other civil servants have been put on leave for a lot less.