The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has clarified that special medical leave is available only to employees undergoing treatment for serious chronic illnesses.

The commission said a recent relaxation of the rules also allows employees to apply for special medical leave if an immediate family member is undergoing treatment for a serious chronic illness.

Speaking on State media, CSC Counsel General Uz Ibrahim Rasheed said some confusion has arisen following the introduction of provisions allowing leave in special circumstances. He noted that a number of employees have been requesting special medical leave without meeting the eligibility criteria set out in the policy.

Uz Rasheed explained that under the policy, employees suffering from serious chronic illnesses may apply for special medical leave, but the approval process can take time due to verification requirements, and this should be taken into consideration by applicants.

The CSC said requests for special medical leave should be submitted at least 15 days before the date the leave is required. However, the commission noted that efforts are made to facilitate leave as quickly as possible in urgent cases, even when applications are submitted within a shorter timeframe.

Under the policy, an employee may apply for up to 60 days of special medical leave when the illness affects the employee directly. If the illness affects an immediate family member, the employee may apply for up to 30 days of leave.

The CSC recently introduced a change allowing employees to submit special medical leave requests directly to the commission, a measure aimed at speeding up the approval process and reducing administrative delays.