PAHRO No 5/2015 - Expression of Interest
from amongst Employees to be released to
work with Voluntary Organisations
PAHRO 200/2010
PAHRO Circular 5/2015
Public Administration HR Office
Office of the Prime Minister
3, Castille Place
Valletta, VLT 1062
3rd June 2015
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FROM AMONGST PUBLIC EMPLOYEES[1] TO BE
RELEASED TO WORK WITH VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS (VOs)
1.
In line with Government’s commitment towards its social obligations, expressed
through its professed support towards Voluntary Organisations, the Public Administration
HR Office is seeking to identify suitable Public Employees interested in being released to
work with Voluntary Organisations, on grounds of public policy. The period of release is for
a maximum of twelve (12) months on a full-time basis and is directly linked with identified
projects being implemented by Voluntary Organisations.
2.
Interested employees are thus invited to submit their Expression of Interest in being
released to work with Voluntary Organisations. In their submission, employees are to indicate
their three preferred Voluntary Organisations. The indicated Voluntary Organisations must be
established exclusively to fulfil a social and charitable purpose on a national level and as
defined by the Trusts and Trustees Act[2], this is to say any charitable and philanthropic
purpose including:
·
the advancement of education, including physical education and sports;
·
the advancement of health;
·
the advancement of religion;
·
social and community advancement;
·
the advancement of culture, arts and national heritage;
·
environmental protection and improvement;
·
the promotion of human rights, conflict resolution and reconciliation.
Public employees may not be released with Voluntary Organisations established at local
level.
Interested employees are also to indicate the preferred period of release being either that of
six (6) months or the maximum period of twelve (12) months.
3.
Expressions of Interest, which should include a motivational statement and the
applicant’s curriculum vitae, are to be submitted through the respective Director
General/Director or Head of Entity and endorsed by the respective Permanent Secretary,
which endorsement shall signify approval for eventual release. In those cases where, owing to
justified reasons, the Permanent Secretary is unable to endorse the Expression of Interest, the
employee is not precluded from submitting the Expression of Interest in light of
developments that may ensue. In such instances the respective Permanent Secretary is to
submit a report to the Public Administration HR Office with justifications for the nonendorsement of the employee’s Expression of Interest.
4.
Eligible applicants may be requested by the Employee Relationship Management
Directorate within the Pubic Administration HR Office (PAHRO) to attend for an interview
to assess their suitability. Original certificates and/or testimonials are to be invariably
produced for verification at the interview.
5.
Successful applicants will form part of a pool of employees to be considered for
eventual release to work with Voluntary Organisations. The validity period of the pool of
successful applicants is of twelve (12) months.
6.
Approval for release shall be communicated by the Employee Relationship
Management Directorate within PAHRO, in consultation with the relevant stakeholders. The
Employee Relationship Management Directorate reserves the right to monitor the release. To
this effect spot checks may be carried out and/or reports on the activities may be required by
the respective Director/Head of Entity or by someone delegated on Government’s behalf. The
employing Department/Entity reserves the right to withdraw the released employee by giving
a five (5) working day notice if the terms of agreement are not adhered to.
7.
During the period of release, Public Officers will be entitled to receive the basic
salary of their substantive grade. Public Officers on a salary scale higher than Scale 6 will be
paid the maximum of salary Scale 6. Public Officers on a performance agreement or on a
contract must revert to their substantive grade prior to their release with a Voluntary
Organisation. Employees will resume duties with their employing Department/Entity at the
end of the approved release. Employees who have been released from work for a period of
two (2) or more years will, upon resumption of duties, have to undergo an induction course
and any other re-training activities considered necessary by the employing
Department/Entity.
During the period of release, Public Officers are regulated by the PSC disciplinary procedures
and Public Sector Employees are regulated by the respective disciplinary procedures
applicable in their employing entity for any misconduct; this without prejudice to the
regulations governing the respective Voluntary Organisation.
8.
Upon release, selected employees will be expected to work a 40 hour week and be
entitled to 192 hours of vacation leave yearly. In the case of teachers, the equivalent of 192
hours vacation leave entitlement will be granted pro-rata, depending on the date of release.
9.
The Voluntary Organisation may request a further period of release for the
remaining duration of the project or for a maximum period of twelve (12) months (whichever
is the shortest), subject to a maximum aggregate of five (5) years. Applications requesting
renewal of release are to be submitted to the Employee Relationship Management
Directorate, PAHRO not later than two (2) months prior to the expiry of the approved release.
Approval for a further period of leave will be communicated by the Employee Relationship
Management Directorate within PAHRO, following consultations with the employee’s
respective Director/Head of Entity and the respective Permanent Secretary.
10.
Employees currently released with a Voluntary Organisation and whose term of
release is due to expire by the end of September 2015 are required to submit their expression
of interest as per paragraphs 2 and 3 above.
11.
The period of assignment with the Voluntary Organisation shall be reckoned as
‘service in the grade’ for the purpose of computation of length of service, seniority, salary,
progression and, where applicable, for treasury pension purposes. The performance of such
duties will also be recorded in the Record of Service (GP47).
12.
Submissions, including a detailed CV, are to reach the Director, Employee
Relationship Management, Public Administration HR Office, 3, Castille Place, Valletta, VLT
1062, by not later than noon (Central European Time) of 19th June 2015.
13.
Selected Officers will be required to sign an undertaking signifying their commitment
to the assignment for which they are selected.
Yakob Zahra
Director (Employee Relationship Management)
Public Administration HR Office
[1] Public Officers and employees from within the wider Public Sector
[2] http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=8805