The government plans to introduce family-care leave for civil servants next January, allowing employees up to 12 hours a year to attend to family matters without having to provide supporting documents.
The Civil Service Bureau outlined details of the scheme in a paper submitted to the Legislative Council’s Panel on Public Service. The initiative was first announced in the government’s Policy Address in September.
All government employees, including civil servants and staff appointed on non-civil service terms, will be eligible for up to 12 hours of family-care leave each year.
The leave can be taken in blocks of one to four hours to accommodate family needs such as accompanying family members to medical appointments, attending school activities of their children, or handling household emergencies.
Unused hours cannot be carried over to the following year. Employees who need more time off must apply for annual leave or another form of leave.
The bureau said it would keep the application and approval process flexible and streamlined, in line with a “people-oriented” approach. Employees generally only need to submit an application record form stating the reason prior to taking leave, without the need to provide supporting documents.
For unforeseen emergencies, staff may seek verbal or other approval from their supervisors before taking leave and submit the required paperwork as soon as possible afterward.
However, supervisors retain the discretion to request verification, such as medical certificates, attendance slips, or school notices, if they have doubts or suspect abuse of the scheme.
The authority said it will continue to balance staff family needs, public service quality, and prudent use of public funds to foster family-friendly workplaces, attract and retain talent, and boost morale.
