The Civil Service Commission has enacted its thirteenth amendment to the Civil Service Regulations, introducing expanded leave entitlements for family medical emergencies and establishing a new basis for employment termination. The reforms, which came into effect on Monday, mark a substantive shift in the Maldives’ public sector employment framework.
Under the revised code, civil servants are now eligible for up to 30 days of paid leave annually to care for family members undergoing treatment for chronic illnesses or requiring bone marrow or organ donation. The leave is granted with full basic salary, defined as the remuneration corresponding to the employee’s designated post.
Eligibility is extended to a clearly defined group of family members, including an employee’s mother, father, spouse, child, full sibling, half-sibling (maternal or paternal), and any individual for whom the employee holds a legal duty of care.
Access to this entitlement requires submission of a comprehensive medical certificate. The document must be issued by a healthcare professional registered with the Ministry of Health, or by a practitioner affiliated with a recognised medical institution in the country of issuance. It must specify both the nature of the illness and the anticipated duration of treatment. Final authorisation rests with the Civil Service Commission, which will determine the procedural modalities governing approval.
The amendment also introduces a clause permitting termination of employment on medical grounds. Civil servants may be dismissed if formally deemed permanently or for an extended period unable to perform their assigned duties. Such a determination must be substantiated by an official medical document issued by a healthcare professional registered with the Health Ministry, and must bear the institutional stamp of the issuing body.