Dechen Dolkar

In the ongoing saga of contract employee regularisation, the government has proposed an eight-year contract period for contract employees after the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) rejected its para-regularisation bid.

The government’s recommendation is based on a comprehensive study conducted by a cabinet sub-committee earlier this year, which included RCSC officials and was led by Health Minister Tandin Wangchuk.

During the meet-the-press session yesterday, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said that despite several committee meetings and the proposal for para-regularisation, the RCSC did not accept the recommendation. “Instead, the RCSC has proposed that contract employees could be regularised for five years.”

However, the Prime Minister said that the cabinet found the five-year duration inadequate and has since reproposed to the RCSC that the regularisation period be extended to eight years, or that contract employees be treated like other civil servants if their services are still needed.  “As of now, the RCSC has not responded to the cabinet’s request,” Lyonchhen said.

Lyonchhen said that during a recent cabinet meeting, they were told that some General Service Personnel (GSP) and Elementary Service Personnel (ESP) were satisfied with the five-year regularisation proposal. “The committee still needs to confer with the ESP and GSP for a final decision. If they are comfortable with the five-year proposal, we will report back to the RCSC,” he said.

Lyonchhen further said that GSP and ESP staff would be inclined to accept the five-year proposal as it would enable them to access loans from banks, a facility currently unavailable to them. “We are also working to make loans more accessible to them,” he added.

Meanwhile, the RCSC stated that they have not received any formal communication from the cabinet on the eight-year para-regularisation proposal.

The RCSC has previously emphasised the importance of maintaining meritocracy within the civil service, cautioning that any alterations to the benefits and employment status of contract employees should not adversely affect the recruitment and prospects of regular civil servants.

The push for regularisation seeks to address longstanding concerns regarding the disparity in benefits and job security between contract and regular employees.

Many contract workers have served for extended periods without access to the same facilities and perks enjoyed by their regular counterparts, a situation deemed unfair, particularly for those nearing retirement who may struggle financially without adequate benefits.

In addition, contract employees often face difficulties in securing loans and other financial support due to their temporary employment status.

The government has pledged to regularise contract employees such as teachers, health workers, ESPs, GSPs, wardens, matrons, drivers, ward boys, ward girls, as well as ECCD and NFE instructors.

The RCSC proposed to the cabinet in June this year to implement a para-regular employment system instead of regularising civil servants on contract. The RCSC recommended merging regular and consolidated contract employees into para-regular employees.

There are more than 5,200 contract employees.