​Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

 

Do public officers need a specific reason to apply for work-life balance measures?

The Public Service offers a vast number of measures for all public officers to benefit from depending on their circumstances.

 

I am currently benefitting from Maternity Leave however I wish to remain at home with my child before working the 6-month obligation period. What can I do?

Public Officers may apply for parental leave or career break to utilize immediately after maternity leave. The 6-month obligation period can then be worked immediately after these measures.

 

Do I need to work the whole notice period before moving to a new posting in another Ministry resulting from a recent promotion?

Employees who are appointed to a new posting upon promotion are requested to give in a handing over period of 4 weeks prior to moving to the new posting. The notice period is only worked in cases when employees terminate their employment with the Public Service.

 

I was successful in a selection process however I placed third and was not called yet. What happens with the selection result?

Applicants who are successful in selection processes are kept on the Order of Merit until the result remains valid. In the eventuality there is a vacancy throughout the validity period, applicants would be called for in the order they placed in the selection result.

 

I have been receiving Qualification Allowance for many years however this has recently stopped.

Qualification Allowance is given to employees for the specific role they are performing and after meeting certain criteria. Employees who are transferred or promoted need to re-apply for qualification allowance in view that their roles are changed and the conditions for which a qualification allowance was previously granted may have changed.

 

I recently worked more hours than what my Reduced Hours agreement stipulates, however I was not paid any overtime.

When employees on reduced hours are required to work beyond their usual weekly hours, they are paid at the normal hourly rate for the extra hours worked until they reach the weekly hours worked by a full-time counterpart. Extra hours worked that exceed the weekly hours worked by a full-time counterpart, are paid at overtime rates.

 

​Can Public Officers perform private work whilst utilizing work-life balance measures?

Public employees who benefit from work-life balance measures with the exception of remote working and flexi-time may not engage in private-work or work with voluntary organisations, even after office hours. Nevertheless, those who wish to perform part-time work are not precluded from applying for work in government employment, subject to approval from the respective Permanent Secretary

 

I wish to apply for remote working however I do not have any relatives to look after nor do I have any medical circumstances that impede me from working at the office.

Employees whose job performance and skills, as well as the nature of their job, are suitable to be carried out away from traditional office set-ups, may request to engage in remote working. There is no need to provide any reason for the application.

 

I shall be undergoing a surgery and my sick leave entitlement will not be sufficient to cover my whole absence until I can return back to work.

Public Officers in such scenarios may make use of various measures such as accumulation of sick leave, their own vacation leave, and donated leave prior to falling on half-pay sick leave.

 

My Vacation Leave Entitlement is not the same as that of my colleagues.

The Vacation Leave Entitlement is calculated for each Officer depending on certain variables, such as the number of working hours, any uptake of unpaid leave, the utilization of a reduced hours agreement, or, in the case of new recruits, the date of commencement of duties.​