Sick leave days remain high in civil service

Some 13,000 civil service employees take sick leave every year, according to finance ministry figures made public on Friday. At the same time, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos acknowledged that such an entitlement is abused in some cases. The data, covering the period from 2020 to 2024, was submitted to the House in reply to questions from Disy MP George Pamboridis and Alma MP Litsa Drousiotou. No figures were supplied for last year as the relevant information has not yet reached the public administration department. In 2024, 13,260 employees took sick leave, of those, 364 were absent for between 43 days and two months, 516 for between two and six months, and 80 for between six and 12 months. That compares with 1,528 of 13,088 employees in 2020 who went beyond 42 days. Permanent public servants are entitled to 42 days of sick leave on full pay, eight of which do not require a medical certificate. Beyond that, the medical council can approve up to six months on full pay, followed by a further six months on half pay. Employees must return to work after exhausting their leave to qualify for it again. The rule is reportedly being exploited, as certain employees return to work for a few days after six months on full pay and then return to sick leave for another six months, receiving their salary in full. The audit office recently raised the issue in the prison department and its findings led to a criminal investigation. Keravnos told the House that days taken on half pay are minor compared with those on full pay, pointing to the practice of employees returning briefly to regain their full pay entitlement. A large share of staff in some services took more than 27 days of sick leave a year, a level the ministry describes as “high and recurring”. The proportion of staff exceeding that threshold ranged between 15 per cent and 20 per cent. The number of employees affected was 2,498 in 2020, 2,375 in 2021 and 2,770 in 2022, before falling to 2,348 in 2023 and 2,032 in 2024. The highest rates were in the children’s rights commissioner’s ofice, where four of eight employees exceeded 27 days in 2024, and the legislation commission, where the figure was four of 10. The ministry said small staff numbers mean minor changes distort the percentages. Larger departments also recorded high figures; the mental health services had 31.46 per cent of staff above 27 days, while the mining service had 30.77 per cent. The companies’ register recorded 27.03 per cent, up from 26.36 per cent in 2023, and the social welfare services 26.51 per cent, up from 26.30 per cent. In the labour department the figure was 25.93 per cent, down from 27.93 per cent. Overall use of short leave rose in 2024. A total of 3,323 employees took between one and six days, compared with 3,002 a year earlier. Some 2,720 took between seven and 13 days, and 2,550 took no sick leave at all. Keravnos said working conditions, workload and the nature of duties influence sick leave use, making variation between services understandable, “without of course justifying abusive practices”. He said other factors include the culture within each organisation and the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms. He said the government seeks to address these through regulations that have been before parliament since 2024, which have stalled due to opposition from unions. The proposals would change how medical certificates covering more than 42 days are referred to the medical council for approval.