Kuwait's New Regulations For Employees Reveal Leave Balance Risk

An informed source told Al-Anbaa that employees with less than 15 years of service are entitled to 35 days of annual leave, but are allowed to retain only 175 days. Any surplus will be forfeited at the onset of the new calendar year in 2024. On the other hand, employees with 15 years of service or more are entitled to 45 days per year, with a maximum balance of 225 days. Excess amounts beyond this limit will also be forfeited in 2024 at the start of the new calendar year.

The decision to freeze leave for 2020/2021, enabling employees to benefit from a balance of up to 6 years in addition to the current year, was made in light of the exceptional circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, this provision remains in effect, meaning that vacation policy has not been affected by the pandemic.

Furthermore, the Civil Service Commission has introduced a new service through the Sahel application, which facilitates the initial approval process for scholarships and study leaves. By using this feature, Kuwaiti employees can issue a "To Whom It May Concern" certificate of initial approval, with the added convenience of paying the fee through the Sahel application. After receiving this certificate, the countries' embassies can present it to the appropriate authorities.

As part of its coverage of the launch of this service, "The Diwan" stressed the importance of streamlining the application process for scholarships and study leaves. Additionally, the report clarified that employees with less than 15 years of service who maintain leave balances exceeding 175 days will be subject to deductions, while employees with over 15 years of service who maintain balances exceeding 225 days will be subject to deductions as well. It was deemed an exceptional measure due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vacation regulations to add the balance for 2020 and 2021.

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