Coronavirus: Employees above 50 years of age to get leave without medical certificate

Central govt offices will work with bare minimum staff for the next one week while the rest will work from home, the government said on Sunday, as the country geared to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Heads of Department (HoDs) have been asked to draw up a roster of staff, including officers, junior staff and outsourced employees, who are required to render essential servies within each Departments.

"They alone may be asked to attend office from March 23 to March 31. In other words, the office should function with skeletal staff. Officials who are working from home should be available on telephone and electronic means of communication at all times. They should attend office if called for, in case of any exigencies of work," the order issued by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.

However, this order is not applicable to officers and employees engaged in essential and emergency services and those directly engaged in taking measures to control the spread of Covid-19.

In a separate order issued late last week, central government employees above the age of 50 years having diabetes, respiratory and renal diseases were allowed to take commuted leave till April 4 without production of medical certificate.

According to the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training, it has been decided to grant commuted leave without production of medical certificate to those officials who are above 50 years and have conditions like diabetes, respiratory problems, renal diseases and other life-threatening illness, for a period up to April 4, so as to avoid unnecessary burden on the health care system.

The DoPT also issued another order which said retired government employees who have been appointed as consultants and advisors in the central government will be allowed to work from home without affecting their honorarium.

Also, contractual and outsourced staff will also be allowed to attend office on rotational basis without deduction of any wages for their absence from work up to April 4.