Chapter 16: Study Leave, Special Leave and General Provisions

Study Leave

1600. Officers may be required to discharge any duty, or; to attend any course of instruction during their leave. Such a period of duty, or; instruction will not count as part of the period of leave and allowances may be granted to cover necessary out-of-pocket expenses.
1601. When an officer is required by The Government to undertake a course of training or study in the interest of The Public Service, he will be granted study leave on full salary and this will not count against his vacation leave, or; leave of absence eligibility. As a rule, such a course of training, or; study might be expected to last up to about six months, but should it be a longer course, the officer may be granted additional leave on full pay up to a maximum of twelve months in all to enable him to complete the course: provided that, exceptionally, and with the express permission of The Deputy Prime Minister, additional leave for such a course may be granted with full pay beyond the period of twelve months.
1602. When an officer undertakes, with the approval of The Government, a course of study that may be in his own interest and in the general interest but is not expressly and directly in the interest of The Public Service, he will be required to utilize for this purpose the whole of the accumulated vacation leave and leave of absence for which he is eligible, and at the expiry of this leave he may, in order to complete the course, be granted an extension of leave with out pay provided that his certified progress is acceptable to The Government.
1603. When study leave in the interest of The Public Service is granted for a period of six months, or; more, the officer shall enter into a Bond, with satisfactory sureties, in such sum as Government may specify in the Bond, to return to The Bahamas on the completion of his course and to serve The Government for a period of not less than three years.
1604. On the completion of the course, the officer may enjoy the balance of his leave as recreation, and if he is required to return to duty before the expiry of the balance of the leave he will be permitted to carry forward the unexpired balance.
1605. The officer may be required to furnish, at such periods as may be prescribed, certificates from the appropriate authority of the institution at which he is pursuing the course of study in proof of his regular attendance and of his diligence and energy in his studies. If from such reports it is evident that the officer has abandoned the course, or; his progress is so unsatisfactory that it would be in the public interest so to do, the remaining period of the study leave shall be canceled and such cancellation shall take effect when the officer is so notified in writing, or; on a date two weeks after the date of decision, whichever is the earlier.
1606. An officer who undertakes an approved course of study by correspondence, in the interest of The Public Service, leading to an examination by a recognized body at the completion of the course may be granted study leave on full pay for the period of the examination and for up to a maximum period of two weeks immediately prior to the examination.

Special Leave

1620. Leave may be granted, or; extended by Permanent Secretaries on the ground of public policy as far as it relates to Orders' 1624, 1625 and 1626. Such leave will be full salary for a maximum period of up to six (6) days within an officer's leave year. All other requests for leave pay under Orders 1624, 1625, and 1626 in excess of six (6) consecutive days in an officer's leave year may be submitted to The Permanent Secretary of The Public Service for consideration:
1621. Compassionate special leave with pay may be granted by Permanent Secretaries on the grounds of urgent personal affairs (In circumstances such as accident, deaths and serious illness of immediate family and emergencies caused by fire, or; flooding etc...) up to maximum of 6 days per year. Applications for the grant of such leave must be accompanied by a statement of the reasons for the application, which will be treated as confidential.
1622. Applications for the grant of compassionate special leave on the grounds of urgent private affairs may be considered and approved by other officers delegated by Permanent Secretaries to perform the function such as Heads of Departments and Principals of schools. No more than two days of such leave may be granted in any one month by the Head of Department, or; Principal.
1623. If the special leave for which an officer is eligible (as outlined in General Orders 1621-162'2) is not sufficient for the purpose, he may be granted vacation leave. If he has no leave due him, he may be granted leave without salary on the grounds of urgent personal affairs. Notification of the award of such unpaid leave should be submitted to The Ministry of The Public Service.
1624. An officer may be granted leave in addition to vacation leave for the purpose of taking part in a sporting event of international significance, the length of which will be determined by taking into account the number of days required for the actual sporting event and the number of days required for travelling to and from the place arranged for the sporting event. Any extra days will be deducted from vacation leave.
1624(A). Officers in the X3 Scale or above on salary scales which start at $21,550 (w.e.f. 1/7/06) per annum are not eligible for payment of overtime may subject to the exigencies of The Service be granted casual leave at the rate of ten working days a year. Casual leave may not be added to vacation leave, or; half pay leave; nor may it be accumulated.
1625. An officer who is an official of a registered Trade Union may be granted leave, in addition to vacation leave, to attend to important Trade Union business up to a maximum of six days within a leave year. Any further leave taken for this purpose shall be deducted from vacation leave, or; will be treated as leave without pay if no further vacation leave is due. For the purpose of calculating retiring benefits any such leave without pay will be treated as having been granted on the ground of public policy.
1626. Special leave up to twelve days a year in addition to vacation leave may be granted to an officer for the purpose of attending any Conference of the Federation of Civil Service Associations, or; other recognized bodies if such officer is a member of the Civil Service Association of The Bahamas and has been nominated by such Association to attend such Conference.
1627. Members of Philanthropic Organizations such as Scouts and Girl Guides, the Federation of Youth Clubs and The Red Cross may be granted special leave without pay to attend Conferences and Leadership Courses held by their organization.
1628. An officer may be granted leave on full salary to take an examination for the shortest period required to enable him to reach the appointed place, take the examination and return to his post:

1. in addition to vacation leave, with travelling at Government expense if the examination is one which he is required by the conditions of his appointment to pass, or; has a direct bearing on his current duties and is likely to qualify him for further advancement in The Service, or;
2. as part of vacation leave and without his travelling paid by Government, for other examinations and in cases where he has failed at three attempts a particular examination to which (1) above implies.
   1629. Special leave with full salary will be granted to officers who are members of The Defence Force, or; Police Reserve to enable them to attend annual training. Such leave will not be counted against vacation leave.

General

1640. The rates of leave and the conditions governing the grant of leave apply to all monthly paid officers whether on the pensionable establishment or on temporary terms of service, except that in the case of Teachers, and officers on contract, agreement or secondment, special conditions may apply under their terms of service.
1641. Leave granted on full salary or half salary counts as pensionable service and as qualifying service for pension purposes. Leave granted without salary does not break continuity of pensionable service, but it counts as pensionable service only when granted on grounds of public policy. Study leave and any continuous leave in excess of twenty-four days does not count as part of any qualifying period for leave.
1642. Leave without pay will not count for purposes of increment unless it is granted on the grounds of urgent private affairs.
1643. An officer on leave without salary shall not be entitled to receive any emoluments whatsoever.
1644. Where a public officer is absent from duty without leave, or; a reasonable excuse:

1. for a period not exceeding seven days, and;
2. cannot be traced within a period of fourteen days of commencement of such absence, or;
3. it traces no reply to a charge absence of leave is received from the officer within ten days after the dispatch of the charge to him, then;

(a) in the case of an officer in respect of whom disciplinary control has been delegated, the empowered officer may summarily dismiss him;
(b) in any other case, the Head of Department shall report the matter to The Permanent Secretary, who shall refer the matter to The Permanent Secretary of The Public Service, and then will inform The Public Service Commission. The Commission will then make its recommendation to The Governor General.

1645. Leave must as far as possible be so arranged that the employment of extra staff is unnecessary. Extra staff will be employed only where there is long leave, and where The Permanent Secretary considers it essential to engage a substitute.
1646. When an officer proceeding on leave, or; transfer is responsible for cash, stores or furniture, the procedure laid down in Financial Instructions and Stores Rules will be followed. Except as provided therein, any officer leaving his/her post without obtaining the necessary certificate from his successor will be liable for any deficiency which may subsequently be discovered.
1647. A Head of Department who is proceeding on long leave must leave a memorandum on any special instructions affecting the Department for the guidance of his successor, and a duplicate of this memorandum should be forwarded to The Permanent Secretary.
1648. An officer shall not engage in any work, or; business for gain whilst he is on leave, without the prior approval of The Permanent Secretary of The Public Service.