Govt tightens attendance rules, launches flexible work hours, revamps recruitment
The Civil Service Bureau has tightened control over employee attendance across government agencies through a circular mandating the use of a fingerprint attendance system.
Effective as of August 18, 2024, according to Al-Rai daily, the system aims to eliminate attendance violations by ensuring staff presence is verified digitally. Employees working on-site can now confirm their attendance via fingerprint using their phones while at the workplace, streamlining the process and saving time.
To enhance public service accessibility, the Bureau has also introduced an evening work schedule across government entities. This allows customers who are unable to visit during the morning to complete their transactions in the evening.
At the same time, the new system grants government employees the flexibility to select a work schedule that aligns with their needs, in accordance with the Bureau’s regulations.
On the hiring front, the Civil Service Council has adopted a new recruitment mechanism that prioritizes first-time applicants registered in the nomination system. Applicants who reject initial job offers are automatically re-nominated to future roles based on organizational needs.
In a bid to reinforce transparency and equal opportunity, the Bureau has also restricted job nominations exclusively to its automated system, prohibited individual nomination requests, and reduced the registration duration, which had previously stretched up to three years.
Key Decisions:
- August 14, 2024: Circular issued regulating fingerprint verification during working hours.
- October 15, 2024: Council of Ministers instructs implementation of evening work shifts.
- October 20, 2024: Bureau releases evening shift work regulations.
- November 7, 2024: New recruitment mechanism adopted by the Civil Service Council.
