Late April 1999 saw the introduction of a new regulatory framework governing the leave of permanent civil servants and staff of local authorities in Greece. The effect is to provide for more leave, including extended annual holidays and the introduction, extension or legislative confirmation of a variety of types of leave related to specific circumstances (such as weddings, sickness or court appearances).
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Late April 1999 saw the introduction of a new regulatory framework governing the leave of permanent civil servants and staff of local authorities in Greece. The effect is to provide for more leave, including extended annual holidays and the introduction, extension or legislative confirmation of a variety of types of leave related to specific circumstances (such as weddings, sickness or court appearances).
On 26 April 1999, following circular No. DIDAD/F.2/9/5219/9-3-99 issued by the Ministry of the Interior regarding implementation of the new Civil Servants Code, all relevant bodies were notified by the Minister of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation of the new basic regulations governing the leave of permanent civil servants. In accordance with Article 4 of law 2683/1999, the new regulatory framework also applies to permanent staff of local authorities. The new rules mean longer leave for all civil servants, with the improvements concerning almost all categories of leave - regular annual leave," facilitation leave", sick leave and special leave.
With regard to annual paid leave, after one year of service, employees who work a five-day week are entitled to 20 working days of leave and employees who work a six-day week are entitled to 24 working days of leave. One day of leave is added for each year of employment, up to a maximum of 25 or 30 working days respectively. In the case of employees who ask to take all their annual paid leave during the period from 1 November to 14 May, excepting the Christmas and Easter periods, their regular annual leave is increased by five days. "Facilitation leave" entails the following:
the paid leave previously customarily granted for the weddings (five days) or deaths (three days) of first- and second-degree relatives is enacted into law;
paid leave of one to three days is granted for voting in elections or appearing in court;
paid leave for employees who themselves suffer or whose children suffer from an illness which requires regular blood transfusions or periodic hospitalisation is increased from 11 to 22 working days per year;
paid annual leave for employees with 50% disability or over is increased by six working days, whether or not they have been designated as people with special needs;
employees retain their right to take unpaid leave of up to one month, for which a decision by the departmental council is no longer required;
maternity leave (before and after the birth of a child) is increased from four months to a total of five months, and mothers are given a choice between working two hours fewer per day if they have a child under two years of age and one hour fewer if they have a child between the ages of two and four, or nine months' paid childcare leave; and
for the first time, unpaid leave of up to two years, when an employee has "serious personal reasons", is enacted into law. Such reasons will be examined on a case-by-case basis by the competent departmental council, inasmuch as the law does not specify the precise meaning of "serious personal reasons".
The other categories of sick leave and special leave are also improved, mainly with regard to matters of education and health.
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (1999), More leave for civil servants, article.
