Government officials address abuse of sick leave in the public sector

Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Marinos Moussouttas held a meeting with the Ministers of Justice, Finance, and Health to discuss the widespread abuse of sick leave among police officers, prison guards, and other government employees. Under current regulations, employees who are absent for more than 42 days are referred to a medical board, which can grant up to six months of fully paid leave, followed by another six months at half pay. Moussouttas noted a recurring pattern where employees return to work for a single day after a six-month period to reset the leave cycle and continue receiving full pay. Officials highlighted extreme cases, including one employee absent for seven years and instances where individuals remain employed despite being medically unfit for their assigned duties, such as a coast guard officer forbidden from boarding ships or a teacher suffering from agoraphobia. The government is now reviewing these procedures to prevent systemic exploitation of the medical leave system. The ministers emphasized the need to reform how long-term absences are handled to ensure accountability and efficiency in the public service.