Gov’t workers violating work hours, loafing during office hours to face dismissal from service

MANILA, Philippines – The Civil Service Commission (CSC) reminds government workers to strictly follow their work schedule, particularly in observing government work hours as they could face dismissal from service for violation of the work hours.
Gov’t workers violating work hours, loafing during office hours to face dismissal from service

Through Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of 2017, the CSC reiterates the policy that all government workers, including heads of agencies and presidential appointees, have to follow when it comes to government work hours, tardiness in reporting for duty, loafing during office hours, and penalties for unauthorized absences.

“These acts are detrimental to public service thus we are reminding all government workers of all departments and agencies to render eight hours of work from Monday to Friday, or not less than 40 hours a week,” explained CSC Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala.

“Frequent unauthorized absences from duty during regular office hours constitute loafing, and it results in inefficiency and non-performance of duty which adversely affects the prompt delivery of service to the public.”

Field Work and Other Official Business

Not all government workers are assigned in an office setting; many are tasked to do field work. Even then, they are required to account for their work hours using proper forms.

Those who are attending seminars, trainings, and other official business also need to do the same.

But heads of agencies and other presidential appointees are also not exempted from rendering the required number of hours at work. While they are not required to punch in the bundy clock, they are similarly told to record their attendance, absences, and hours/days spent on official business.

Consequences of Violations

The CSC further warns: “Falsification or irregularities in the keeping of time records will render the officer or employee administratively liable without prejudice to criminal prosecution as the circumstances warrant.”

“An officer or employee in the civil service shall be considered habitually absent if one incurs unauthorized absences exceeding the allowable 2.5 days monthly leave credit under the Leave Law for at least three months in a semester or at least three consecutive months,” states Section 22, Rule XIV, Omnibus Rules Implementing Book V of Executive Order No. 292.

Frequent Unauthorized Absences (Habitual Absenteeism), Tardiness in Reporting for Duty, and Loafing from Duty During Regular Office Hours are considered as grave offenses. The consequences of violations pertaining to these offenses are the following: suspension of 6 months and 1 day or up to 1 year for the first offense and dismissal from service for the second offense.

“It is the duty of agency heads to ensure that all officers and employees under them will strictly observe the prescribed office hours,” dela Rosa-Bala added.

NOTE: pdf file available for download here.


— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express



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