Holidays and Leave in NGOs

1.7.2 Holidays

All employees are entitled to 16 days of paid leave due to public holidays. Public holidays are specified in advance by the Executive Director in consultation with staff members.

Employees who are required to work on public holidays are entitled to compensatory day off. NGO will keep records of number of hours/days worked by its employees on public holidays. Request for compensatory leave shall be substantiated with this record and approved in advance by the Executive Director.

In the event that a public holiday is declared by the Government on a certain day without prior notice, NGO staff cannot consider it a holiday until and unless notified by the Executive Director or the Board. All public holidays are subject to the approval of the Executive Director or the Board.

1.7.3 Leave without Pay

(1) Leave without pay may be granted to employees up to 36 days per year.
(2) Leave without pay that is taken for a month or more shall not be counted as time worked, hence no benefits shall accrue to the employees during such period.
(3) Employees on probation are not entitled to leave with or without pay but can accrue such leave during the probationary period.
(4) Leave without pay is applicable when the employee has exhausted all his annual and sick leave.

1.7.4 Absences

(1) An employee who is unable to come to the office is required to notify the office of the reason for his/her absence.

(2) Unauthorized absences are grounds for disciplinary action. The following procedures shall apply:

i. An employee that has been absent for two consecutive working days without notice nor explanation shall be personally sought of by the Executive Director. He/she shall be asked to put in writing the reason(s) for his/her absence.
ii. If, after seven consecutive days of absence, the employee continues to fail to give any explanation of the cause of his/her absence, the employee will be considered to have resigned from his/her position.
iii. iii. In cases where the employee cannot give any satisfactory answer to the cause of his/her absences, in the judgment of the Executive Director, the employee may be subjected to disciplinary action.

1.8 Staff Movement

(1) Assignments and Transfers

According to project needs, any employee can be transferred temporarily or permanently to any location where NGO conducts its activities. The transfer may be the result of a promotion, a change in role due to service requirements or other reasons.

A permanent transfer to a new place of work that includes a new job mandate shall result in a contract renewal. In addition, the employee concerned shall be notified one month in advance of his change in situation.

(2) Interim positions and promotions

An employee may be called on to temporarily perform a job in a higher category. That does not automatically give him the right to the salary and benefits of this position. However, after a reasonable amount of time, NGO shall reclassify the employee in the category of the new job or return him/her to his/her former duties.

An employee who receives a promotion can be required to complete a trial period in the new position. If the trial period is successfully concluded, the employee will be reclassified in the new job category and at a salary scale level higher than his former position. If the trial period is not satisfactorily completed, the employee will be reinstated in a position at the same level as his former position.