Parliament has passed the Re-Employment Bill, enabling civil service employees to continue working until the age of 75.

The bill was approved with the support of 46 members, following its review by Parliament’s Committee on National Development and Heritage.

The legislation was introduced on behalf of the Government by the Member of Parliament for the Guraidhoo constituency, Hanan Mohamed Rasheed. It aims to extend employment opportunities for civil servants beyond the current retirement age, while establishing clear regulations and procedures for re-employment.

Under the bill, individuals aged between 65 and 75 who wish to remain in public service will be eligible to apply for re-employment. The provisions also allow former public servants who became entitled to a pension within seven years prior to the Act’s commencement to apply for re-employment.

Re-employed staff will be engaged on contracts renewable on an annual basis and may either return to their previous positions or be appointed to new roles. Salaries and allowances for re-employed employees will be determined by the National Pay Commission. While such employees will not receive a basic pension upon reaching retirement age, they will remain eligible for other benefits provided under the Pensions Act.

The bill stipulates that employees seeking to continue working beyond the age of 65 must submit their re-employment applications six months before reaching retirement age. Individuals who were previously dismissed from public service will have four months to apply after the law comes into effect.

Certain categories are excluded from the bill’s scope, including members of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), police officers, judges, and individuals appointed under the Constitution or other specific laws.