Bunk office, lose pay, Maharashtra warns its staff

MUMBAI: As 'Mission Begin Again' kicks in fully on June 8, state government employees who stay away from work will stand to lose their salary. This applies to both lower level staffers and officers.
Several officers have neither been reporting to work nor preparing the roster for their subordinates. Mantralaya has been functioning throughout the lockdown with the same workforce, sources said.
Until now, merely 5% of the workforce was allowed to be present on any given day at Mantralaya and all government offices in the Mumbai and Pune metropolitan regions. The number had been raised to 10%, but given the increasing number of Covid-19 cases it was reverted to 5%.
Government dangles ‘leave without pay’ sword over employees
A recent state notification has increased the government staff strength, from June 8, to 15% or 15 employees, whichever is more, in Mumbai and Pune metropolitan regions.
Department heads have been entrusted with the task of preparing rosters. Employees who are absent without prior intimation will lose their salary for the entire week as it will be marked ‘leave without pay’. Employees who are expected to come to work two times a week but report for only one day, will receive salary for only that day, with ‘leave without pay’ being marked for the rest of the week.
The circular states action will be initiated under the Maharashtra Service (Conduct) Rules, 1979, if employees have left their headquarters.
Many employees, the circular says, have left for their villages before the lockdown without official sanction. Shailesh Kamat, an officer with the transport department posted in Nanded, was caught working from home in Thane. The department has served him a showcause notice.