In an effort to warmly greet millions of central government employees, the Central Government is said to be preparing a new provision of Extra Special Leave (ESL), as recommended by the 7th Pay Commission. ICDs have been laid to provide an employee with morale support, balanced life circle, and acknowledgement of his or her social or personal engagements.
What Is Extra Special Leave?
Extra Special Leave (ESL) is a proposed category of leave that would allow government employees to take some time off for some particular purposes without detriment to their normal leave records. While it has not yet made it to the gazette, the inside crowd suggests it could be granted under situations like personal emergencies, wellness and recuperation, and child or elder care responsibilities.
How Much Leave Is Expected?
The earlier drafts suggest that 5 to 10 days of extra special leave would be granted annually, apart from those currently in place such as Earned Leave, Casual Leave, and Child Care Leave. ESLs shall be fully paid, preventing the employee from suffering financial setbacks while addressing personal issues.
Who Will Hit The Benefits?
This nature of the leave shall be available to all central government employees, from Group A down to Group C services. There are ongoing negotiations to see this extended to PSU employees and autonomous bodies thereafter, whose pay structure follows the central pay structure.
Why The Change?
The decision to alter policy was made following increasing calls from employee unions and forums highlighting the mental stress and burnout faced by government employees, especially post-pandemic. It seems that the Centre is trying to align HR policies to global modern standards for employee wellness and productivity.
Implementation Timeline
Considered more of a guideline in the interim, probably by mid-2025, the final notification is yet to arrive, with implementation possibly starting with the next financial year, i.e., 2025–26.
Conclusion
Being a morale booster, the whole set of reforms under the 7th CPC also considers this initiative. If it is put into place, Extra Special Leave will be, in all probability, the best landmark towards forging a more empathetic and employee-centric government workplace.
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