Panaji: The Congress leader Architect Tulio De’Souza has demanded that Goa government should come clear over the office memorandum issued by the General Administration Department asking HODs to inform all the government servants/employees to ‘work from home’, who or any of their family members residing with them have been subjected for Swab test for Corona Virus, shall refrain from attending office duties until the test report is declared by the concerned Medical Authority.
De’Souza informed that many of the staff are complaining that they are being told by their HoDs to submit sick leave applications during the period, which actually should be considered as a ‘special leave.’
“It is all confusion created by this government, who failed to come up with proper, correct and informative circulars in cases regarding to COVID. On the one hand it says that employees working from home shall be available on telephone and electronic means of communication, and on the other hand HoDs are coercing staff to submit sick leave applications for that period. Chief Minister should tell us, what exactly his government wants to say.” De’Souza said.
He said that the HoD’s Interpret the circulars how they want, as the circular issued in the past are not clear.
“Government is not clear on the circular it issues, if it is ‘work from home’, then HoDs should not tell subordinates to submit leave application and if ‘not working from home’, he/she shouldn’t be forced to submit sick leave, but it should be considered as ‘special leave’. He said.
De’Souza pointed out that since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID as pandemic, the government should consider it as ‘special leave’ and not any other kind of leave for the affected persons.
It may be recalled that Congress MLA Alex Reginald Laurence had asked similar questions in the assembly session about teachers affected, to which Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant had said that they had been told to submit leave applications.
“Congress party strongly demands that Chief Minister should immediately clear the confusion and direct the HODs to make it a special leave and not any other leave.” De’Souza said.
De’Souza, said that not only teacher’s fraternity, but other government employees also should be protected in regards to salary during the duration of ‘Work from Home’.
