Public workers who adopt children set for special ‘bonding’ leave

A French woman greets her adopted Haitian child at the residence of the French ambassador in Port-au-Prince on December 21, 2010. New guidelines have been put in place for people who want to adopt children. PHOTO | AFP

What you need to know:

  • PSC chairperson Margaret Kobia also launched a comprehensive Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual for the public service.
  • Union of Kenya Civil Servants Secretary-General Tom Odege welcomed the new policies but was sceptical about how effectively they would be implemented.

Public servants who want to adopt children will now get a special leave from work to “bond and integrate the child into the family,” according to the new human resource policy.

Those who wish to take part in national sports, such as Olympic champion David Rudisha, will also get a special leave “to represent Kenya in national, regional, and international fixtures”.

The leave will include a full salary for the period that they will be taking part in the sport, including the training season.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) on Thursday launched 12 revised human resource policies amid union accusations that the commission is “the most disorganised” in the country.

PSC chairperson Margaret Kobia also launched a comprehensive Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual for the public service.

The new HR policy document replaces the Code of Regulations that was last revised in 2006.

It includes comprehensive guidelines from recruitment to retirement, and also features notable details such as how to determine seniority for officers in the same job grade.

A new discipline manual has also been published to replace the 2007 one. “It is expected that this manual will address any inconsistencies in the finalisation of discipline cases,” said Prof Kobia.

Union of Kenya Civil Servants Secretary-General Tom Odege welcomed the new policies but was sceptical about how effectively they would be implemented.

“We are hoping this time will be different. I hope it will be implemented uniformly across county governments,” he said.

Mr Odege urged the PSC to hasten the disciplinary process for some workers who have been stuck in the process for more than a decade.

“People are still undergoing discipline 10 years down the line. Please find a way to speed up the process. You have started well and we are going to support you as we see effective public service,” he added.

Other documents that were also launched at the KICC, Nairobi, event include the Staff Performance Appraisal System, Guidelines on Design of Organisation Structures in the Public Service, Internship Policy and Guidelines, Performance Rewards and Sanctions Framework and a Diversity Policy.