Basics to know as a Medical Officer

Financial Management for Medical Officers

Leave for Medical Officers

Rules and regulations pertaining to leave for government officers are specified in the Establishment Code with subsequentamendments and special provisions mentioned in general and health circulars.

As a Medical Officer (MO) it is essential to have basic knowledge regarding the leave procedures and we feel most of our colleagues would benefit from a summary document mentioning the basic facts.

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Main types of leave

There are 6 main types of leave

1. Casual Leave –
2. Vacation leave –
3. Lieu Leave
4. Maternity leave
5. Sick Leave, Special Sick Leave and Accident Leave
6. Short leave and half days leave

Casual Leave

• Only to spend within the island.
• Should be less than 6 days in a raw.
• Cannot combine with vacation leave
• Need prior approval.
• Need cover-up.
• Need to submit the General 125 form and obtain approval prior to taking leave
• Public Holidays are not calculated if proper approval taken
• Saturday is considered as half day leave.
• To be eligible for casual leave, it’s not necessary to complete a compulsory period of service. However during the first nine months of post intern period (probation period) a Medical Officer willonly be entitled for two days leave per month)

Vacation leave

• Can be spend within or outside the island.
• If you spend outside the country public holidays also should be counted as leave days.
• Completion of 9 months service is essential to be eligible for vacation leave.
• To spend within the country, if required, remaining vacation leave of the previous two years also can be applied (total will be 28 x 2).
• To spend abroad, if required, remaining vacation leave of threeprevious years also can be applied (total will be 28 x 3).

Sick Leave –

• Leave approving officer can reduce sick leave from his/her eligible casual leave (if less than 6 days) or eligible vacation leave and will be reducedas such
• Sick leave can be requested over the phone, via Email or SMS
• Should be notified within 24 hours from the commencement of the leave
• If more than two days leave taken officer must produce a Medical Certificate (MC) which can be a private MC. However, a Head of an Institution can demand a MC even for a single day leave and similarly can demand a MC from a Government institution if he/ she deem necessary
• After returning back to duty after sick leave the officer must submit a general 125 form duly filled and obtain covering approval.

Accident or Special Sick Leave

• If an officer injured following an accident during working hours or coming to the workplace or leaving the workplace, Secretary – Health can approve one year with pay leave and 06 months half pay leave, upon recommendation of a medical board.
• If an officer contracted a disease during working, Secretary – Health can approve 06 months with pay leave and 06 months half pay leave, upon recommendation of a medical board.
• If an officer has a disease even not related to his/her work, Secretary – Health can approve suitable period of with pay leave, upon recommendation of a medical board.

Lieu Leave

• When duties were carried out during public holiday and if you have not claimed any allowance (ED/PH) for that day, in lieu of that day an officer is eligible to enjoy a lieu leave within a year of said date.
• Lieu leave cannot be claimed as foreign leave, but can be combined with local vacation leave or casual leave.

Maternity leave

• It is compulsory to take 4 weeks leave following a live birth.
• Full pay leave – 84 working days. (Excluding public holidays)
• Half pay leave – 84 total days. (Including public holidays)
• No pay leave – 84 total days. (Including public holidays)
• IUD or death of the baby within 6 weeks – Full pay leave of 6 weeks.

Paternity leave

• 3 days of special leave to be taken within 3 months of the delivery.

Short leave

• If an officer obtained less than 1.5 hrs.of leave (works for more than 4.5 hrs.).
• Maximum 2 times per calendar month.
• If exceed 2 times it will be counted as a half day leave.
• Must document in the book specially maintained for the purpose.

Half day leave

• Leave of a part of a day, if the relevant officer works for minimum of 3.5 hours.(If the officer works less than 3.5 hours it will be considered as one day leave.)

For Short leave have to work 4 ½ days. Half day have to work at least 3.5 days.

If person worked less than 3 ½ days it is considered as he got a full day leave.

For Short leave have to work 4 ½ hrs

Half day have to work at least 3.5 hrs

If person worked less than 3 ½ hrs it is considered as he got a full days leave.

Filling of leave application forms

• Any local leave should be applied by filling General 125 form.
• When filling the General 125 form all cages must be filled including contact details. Include phone number also. In addition, most institutions maintain a leave book and details of the leave must be duly written in this leave book
• Foreign leave should be applied by filling General 126 form. Although not mentioned specifically in this form, cover up must be arranged and covering up officer must sign indicating that “Agree to cover up duties”.
• Any leave application should be submitted prior to seven days (except for sick leave, half days leave or short leave) in case of leave to be spent in Sri Lanka
• Foreign leave applications must be submitted prior to 3 months.

* Remember any type of leave prohibits you from claiming Extra Duty on the day of leave. (Cannot obtain two privileges)

Please note that above is not a complete account of ‘leave for medical officers’ but a brief description which might benefit you.

Publishing Editor

Dr Thenuwan Tharanga

Editorial Committee

Dr Dr Dilantha Dharmagunawardana

Dr Aruna Sandanayaka