Kuwait allows civil servants to apply for leave via phone

Cairo: Kuwait’s state employment agency has introduced an app allowing civil servants to have access to a package of services via their phones including requesting a leave of absence, a newspaper has reported.

Al Anba said the Civil Service Commission has developed the app that is being activated gradually to enable all employees working in government institutions that are automatically linked to the Commission’s integrated systems to make use of services via the mobile phone.

The report quoted unspecified sources who said that these services include official permissions, a medical review permission, emergency and periodic leaves of absence, career certificates, salary details, leave replacement, suggestions, inquiries, approvals, receiving notifications and contacting the Commission.

Previously, the commission notified government employees of the launch of a smart fingerprint app that enables them to record their attendance and departure.

Earlier this month, Kuwait, a country of 4.9 million people, introduced an evening work shift for government workers.

According to the rules set by the Commission for implementing the new system, the number of the employee’s permission requests to leave the workplace earlier before the end of the shift is limited to twice a month with a six-hour cap.

Each government agency is authorized to determine the working hours in the evening during the workdays with the number of actual working hours to be four and a half hours per day. Working hours in the evening shift must not start before 3.30pm.

The system aims to improve the work environment for government employees, boost productivity rates and reduce traffic congestion in the morning, officials have said.