The Ministry of Justice and Public Order is promoting legislation on the major issue of sick leave that plagues the entire public service, in an attempt to put a stop to the abuse that is widely observed.
Key Services of the public and wider public sector cannot work unhindered, due to the continuous sick leave of the staff, with the result that those who remain are overloaded and exhausted. There are cases that "catch the eye", however, the system does not help those who need them to take sick leave, with the result that the problem is passed on to conscientious employees. The problem was discussed last Friday at an inter-ministerial meeting convened by the Minister of Justice, Kostas Fytiris, where its parameters were set, while it was decided to promote specific legislative, administrative and control interventions, with the aim of strengthening the transparency, accountability, reliability and effectiveness of the framework governing the granting of sick leave in the public sector.
As Mr. Fytiris told "F", one of the thoughts that is being made is to apply that in the private sector, i.e. in case of sick leave beyond the normal one, the employee should be paid 65% of his salary. As the situation is now, an employee can be absent for six months on sick leave, be paid normally, return one day, and then take another six months of sick leave. Recently, a report by the Audit Office for the Prison Department recorded a number of issues that arose through an audit that for some there was the smell of criminal offenses. It is for this reason that the report was referred to the Legal Service for investigation, since the findings created serious suspicions of collusion between doctors and prison guards, with the aim of creating and submitting false representations and, by extension, deceiving the state. As the spokesperson of the Audit, Yiota Michael, told "F", recently the Legal Service contacted the Auditor General and asked for more information that emerged through the findings that were given.
What the audit showed in the Prison Department
As the Audit Office had found in its audit, medical certificates were issued by non-personal doctors, they were not justified by an equal number of visits, while pathologists issued sickness certificates for orthopaedic cases. A prison guard with 200 days of illness per year, in 2023 and 2024, presented 111 medical certificates from two doctors, but only six visits were recorded in the GHS. There was also the case of a member of the Prison Department who was on secondment except in 2018, returned to the Department in September 2023 and was promoted to the position of Inspector. This member was on sick leave from the end date of his secondment until 31/12/2024, for a total of 488 days. For the period from 7/10/2024 to 31/12/2024 he was on unpaid sick leave as he had exceeded 360 days of continuous sick leave. His sick leave was interrupted in 2025, as he presented himself to the Prison Department for only one day, as a result of which he is entitled to paid sick leave again.
During the meeting attended by the Ministers of Justice, Finance, Health and Labour and Social Insurance, the problem concerns the entire public service and that some consider sick leave to be a right like rest leave and even plan when they will receive it and some go on vacation or hunting. As mentioned, 8% of civil servants take sick leave from one day to six months or more. Problems that reach the suspicion of abuse are observed in hospitals, teachers, prisons and to a lesser extent in the Police or other Departments and Organizations.
There is a case, as expressed, where a person serving in the Port and Maritime Police does not get on a boat because he is dizzy, or a teacher cannot enter a classroom because he has agoraphobia. A pilot cannot fly because he has a problem with his ears, or a person due to stress receives permission to go to sea. The problem, as emphasized, focuses on doctors and especially on medical councils.
The aim is to address long-standing distortions
As announced yesterday by the Ministry of Justice, the purpose of the meeting was to examine issues related to improving the performance and effectiveness of the public service, the protection of employees, as well as addressing long-standing distortions that affect the proper functioning of state services. In this context, particular emphasis was placed on the issue of sick leave and ensuring the proper implementation of the relevant institutional framework. From the data presented, it appears that in some cases and categories of staff, absences due to sick leave are recorded which deviate significantly from the statistically expected levels, with consequences on the operational operation of the Services, on public costs and on the balanced distribution of the workload among employees.
The participating ministers underlined that the State has a non-negotiable obligation to fully and without any discrimination support workers who face real health problems. The protection of health, human dignity and social solidarity is a fundamental principle of a modern rule of law and is not questioned in any way. At the same time, it was stressed that the abuse of an institution established to protect workers undermines the credibility of the system itself, creates conditions of unequal treatment and burdens both the operation of public services and the employees who consistently perform their duties. Of particular concern are cases of long-term sick leave, which highlight the need for continuous evaluation and strengthening of control procedures, in order to ensure the proper implementation of the institutional framework, the equal treatment of all employees and the protection of the public interest.
The ministers underlined that the government's goal is not to challenge the right of employees to sick leave, but to ensure that this right is exercised in a fair, objective and reliable way, for the benefit of both employees and the proper functioning of public services. It was also emphasized that every body, Service, Authority, council, officer or professional involved in the process of granting, evaluating, controlling and monitoring sick leave must exercise its responsibilities responsibly, objectively, professionally and fully aware of the consequences of its decisions on the functioning of the state, employees and society in general.
With 250 days of sick leave
According to data from the Prison Department:
For 2023:
– 2 officers over 120 days on sick leave.
– 10 sergeants over 120 days each.
– 38 prison guards over 130 each.
For 2024:
– 3 officers had more than 180 days each.
– 2 sergeants over 100 each.
– 2 sergeants over 250 days.
– 24 prison guards over 150 days each.
For 2025:
– 3 officers of 150 days each.
– 4 sergeants over 150 days each.
– 37 prison guards over 120 days each.
