Kerala okays 7-day special casual leave for government employees during Covid quarantine
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government has approved the special casual leave of seven days for its employees during the quarantine period.
Employees who tested positive for Covid or are in the primary contact list of an infected person can avail of the leave based on the affidavit from the local body or the health department, said an order issued by chief secretary VP Joy. The employees will have to report back to duty once they test negative after seven days, the order said.
The employees who have recovered from Covid three months before need not get quarantined. They shall seek medical help upon developing symptoms. If the disease becomes severe, the special casual leave will be extended for employees during the period they stay in hospital. The leave will be decided on the basis of medical records.
The order also warned against misusing the special leave. The special leave is applicable to all employees of the government, quasi-government, public sector, and autonomous institutions.
The government had recently issued orders to open government offices on all six days in a week. It also reintroduced biometric punching for marking attendance from September 16.