Bhathiya Barukanda
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.
Accordingly, the Public Administration Ministry Secretary Pradeep Yasaratna on Friday (06) 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.
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.
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.
The Public Administration Ministry Secretary Pradeep Yasaratna 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.”
He 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.
Over 2,000 employees utilized this leave facility to seek foreign employment or for other travel purposes. Yasaratne highlighted a troubling trend where some officers, after receiving approved leave, extend their stay abroad beyond the authorized period. This lack of timely action against such absentees has led to administrative disruptions and hindered the delivery of efficient public services.
