The extension of flexible working hours, as well as the reduced working hours in the public sector for specific categories of employees, in the context of flexible forms of employment in the public service, also brought changes in leaves.
The Ministry of Finance, with amending regulations submitted to the Parliament, seeks to regulate the half-day rest leave for employees who work part-time.
Since last February, civil servants have the possibility of reduced employment in the public sector, up to two hours a day, with a parallel proportional reduction in their earnings.
Parents of children up to 15 years of age, as well as caregivers who provide care or support to a relative, have the right to reduced working hours. Civil servants with disabilities or other serious health problems are also eligible, provided that they present a medical certificate documenting their inability to work full-time.
What do the regulations provide?
The regulations stipulate that half a day of rest leave corresponds to an absence of 3 hours and 45 minutes, in the case of a five-day working week. For a six-day work week, half a day off has a duration of 3 hours and 7.5 minutes.
According to the regulations, the absence of an employee from his duties for private purposes can only be allowed in exceptional cases, with the permission of the head of the department, for a period of up to two hours, unless it is for proven medical reasons.
According to the legislation, if the employee is a party to a case before a court and his absence exceeds two hours, this is calculated against his rest leave.
If he is called upon to give evidence, his absence does not count against his rest leave, but his remuneration for that day must be deposited with the Court by the interested party who invites him to give evidence.
The relevant regulations have retroactive effect from February 2026, when the reduced working hours were applied to the state machine.
It should be noted that, with the flexible hours in the public sector, which has been implemented since last February, employees come to work from 7 to 9 in the morning, instead of until 8:30 a.m. that was previously in force. The departure time ranges respectively from 2:30 to 4:30 in the afternoon.
It should also be noted that after the implementation of reduced and flexible working hours in the Public Sector, all services should comply with the instructions of the Ministry of Finance and proceed with the installation of electronic devices to record the time of arrival and departure of employees.
