Non-essential government employees are not entitled to off-day allowances

The Finance Ministry of the Maldives has announced that employees are not entitled to allowances for work conducted on off-days during the state of public health emergency declared in the country that has seen the government offices close for nearly a month.

A circular, signed by Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer was issued to state institutions regarding the overtime allowances, off-day allowances regarding the government closure. The circular was issued on April 9.

The circular read that the declared government closure was not a national holiday and was not included as a government holiday since the closure comes as a result of the declared public health emergency. Off-days will be counted as the holidays specifically declared by the President and the government holidays in regards to overtime allowances.

Employees are entitled to allowances under three circumstances according to the circular. They are:

• Employees who are requested to work, during the declared government closure, to provide necessary services that cannot be interrupted.
• Employees involved in the work of state institutions to implement the orders of the Director-General of Public Health under the public health emergency declared on March 12.
• Employees working under the direct orders of the head of the institutions, to provide necessary services from a state institution.

Employees are only entitled to such allowances if the working hours exceed the official six working hours. Other than those exempted, no other employees are entitled to overtime and off-day allowances.

Minister Ameer also advised the heads of state institutions to refrain from conducting unnecessary operations at a time when the government was working to reduce its expenditure.