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CHAPTER VIII
OVERTIME AND HOLIDAY PAY
1. Eligibility for Overtime
2. Circumstances in which overtime may be allowed
3. Authorisation of Overtime
4. Control of Overtime
5. Period to be counted
6. Rate of Payment
7. Limits
8. Claims for over-time payment
9. Work on Holidays
10. Work on week-end off days
11. Casual Employees
12. Holidays falling on Week-end off days
13. Work on holidays by persons not eligible for overtime
14. Work on part of a holiday
15. Accommodation of lieu leave
16. Travelling on duty on holidays
17. Holiday pay not part of salary
18. Payment to officers in executive grades working on holidays
19. How holiday pay and overtime are chargeable
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CHAPTER VIII
OVERTIME AND HOLIDAY PAY
1. Eligibility for Overtime
1.1 Employees attached to the Commission/ Higher Eligible Staff
Educational Institutions/ Institutes, excluding
those who have been assigned salary codes
denoted by U-AC, U-AS, U-EX, U-MO, full time
Sub-Wardens and employees of other grades who
may be determined by the Commission from time
to time as not being eligible for overtime, are
eligible for overtime payment on the conditions
and at the rates (refer paragraph 6 below)
approved by the Commission.
1.2 Reference may be made to the Commission for Refer to the
clarification in regard to eligibility for overtime in Commission
respect of any new post, class or grade of for any doubts
employees whose eligibility for overtime is in
doubt.
2. Circumstances in which overtime may be allowed
2.1 Overtime may be authorised only in exceptional Where no
circumstances where no other means of getting internal
the work done are available, e.g. where internal arrangements
arrangements within the Department/ Division/ are possible
Centre/Unit or within the Commission/ Higher
Educational Institution/ Institute cannot be made.
2.2 Overtime may be authorised only for work which For work
has been specifically ordered, falls quite outside specifically
the normal work, is urgent and cannot possibly be ordered
done within the normal hours.
2.3 Overtime cannot be authorised for work, which Not for work
constitutes part of the normal work of the which
Commission/ Higher Educational Institution constitutes the
/Institute and for work which has accumulated as normal work
a result of failure to carry it out at the proper time
through negligence or through lack of method or
disregard of procedures.
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2.4 Overtime should not be authorised when an Not for a few
employee is called upon to perform a few extra extra hours
hours of work in an emergency, but only when an
appreciable quantum of work is necessary over a
period of time to complete some special work
which has to be done expeditiously.
2.4.1 Every effort should be exercised to Minimize
engage the staff at the maximum possible Overtime
capacity during normal working hours. If
necessary, re-scheduling of duty
lists/rosters/internal transfers of staff may
be made to minimize overtime. Strict
supervision of staff at all times is also
necessary.
2.4.2 Unless the supervising officer concerned Supervising
is personally satisfied that overtime has Officer should
been actually and fairly earned, he should be personally
not approve any payment of overtime. satisfied
2.4.3 Overtime during weekends/ public Duration
holidays should commence at 8.30 a.m. during
and end at 5.00p.m. weekends/
holidays
2.4.4 On normal working days maximum During
permissible duration of overtime may be normal
limited to two and a half hours. working days
2.4.5 Overtime should not be allowed on Sundays
Sundays.
2.4.6 However, due to exigency and the urgent Exigency and
nature of work, the Secretary of the urgent nature
Commission/ Registrar of the University/
the most senior administrative officer of
an Institute/ Campus or the Chairman of
the Commission/ Principal Executive
Officer of a Higher Educational
Institution/Institute or the Governing
Authority as appropriate, may approve
overtime in excess of the limits indicated
in sub-paragraphs 2.4.3, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5
above.
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2.4.7 Staff officers should not grant standing No standing
orders on overtime. orders
2.4.8 The restrictions specified in sub- Those
paragraphs 2.4.3, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5 above are exempted
not applicable to drivers, security staff, from above
marshals and other non-academic staff, provisions
whose services are considered essential
by the Commission/ Governing
Authorities of the Higher Educational
Institutions/ Institutes.
2.5 It is the responsibility of the supervising officer Responsibility
concerned to decide whether overtime should be of the
assigned to his staff where necessary and to supervising
obtain prior approval from the appropriate officer
authority before assigning such overtime.
2.6 If a person is called upon to work for any period Overtime
in excess of his normal hours of work, he shall be
entitled to overtime payment in respect of such
excess hours in accordance with the overtime
rules of this Chapter.
2.7 Average overtime limit hours per month and Average
payment of overtime to employees of the overtime limit
Commission/ Higher Educational Institutions/ per month
Institutes are restricted to 20 hours. Where such
limit needs to be exceeded due to exigency and
urgent nature of work, such payments should be
incurred with approval of the appropriate
authority and total overtime payments for the
month should be reported to the Commission/
Governing Authority of the Higher Educational
Institution/Institute as the case may be, with a
breakdown of all relevant details for covering
sanction.
3. Authorisation of Overtime
3.1 Overtime may be authorised only when specific Specific
financial provision has been made for such financial
expenditure in the annual estimates and provided provision
funds are available.
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3.2 In regard to activities financed from Advance Advance
Accounts, the amount expendable on overtime account
should previously have been determined by the activity
Chairman of the Commission/Principal Executive
Officer of the Higher Educational
Institution/Institute and should be used for the
payment of overtime only in respect of that
particular activity.
3.3 The provision allowed in the Estimates and the Control on
amount sanctioned under Advance Accounts for availability of
overtime should be regarded as the maximum funds
amounts that may be spent during the year on
overtime. Chairman of the Commission or the
Principal Executive Officer of Higher Educational
Institution/ Institute as the case may be, should
take steps to ensure that a strict and continuous
check on expenditure is maintained so that the
availability of funds may always be kept in mind
when overtime is authorised.
3.4 Secretary of the Commission/ Registrar of a Authorisation
University / Secretary of a University College/ the of overtime:
most senior officer of the administrative staff maximum of
attached to a Campus/ Institute/Centre for Higher 35% of salary
Learning may authorise overtime work to be for the month
performed, such that the overtime payment
earned by the employee does not exceed a
maximum of 35% of his salary for the month.
3.5 Chairman of the Commission/ Principal Executive Maximum of
Officer of a Higher Educational Institution/ 75% of salary
Institute, may in very exceptional cases authorise for the month
overtime work to be performed such that the
overtime payment earned by the employee does
not exceed a maximum of 75% of his salary for the
month. The Chairman of the Commission or
Principal Executive Officer of the Higher
Education Institution/ Institute may exempt the
category of drivers, security personnel, Marshalls
and other non-academic staff whose services are
considered to be essential from this limit.
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3.6 The maximum of 35% and 75% referred to in the Over-riding
previous two paragraphs are over-riding limits. limits
Every effort should be taken to ensure that the
work is completed within the minimum possible
time and expense.
However, where due to exigency and the urgent
nature of work, the Commission or the Governing
Authority of a Higher Educational Institution/
Institute may approve overtime in excess of the
75% of the salary for the month of an employee.
3.7 The total overtime expenditure should not exceed Limit to a
75% of budgetary allocation for overtime for a maximum of
particular year. This limit should be strictly 75% of
adhered to ensure that there is a budgetary saving budgetary
of 25% in the Overtime Vote. allocation
However, within the 75% overall budgetary
limitations, higher weightage may be given for the
following services;
Library services
Health Services
Utilities, maintenance and landscaping
Examinations
Student welfare
Student Admissions/Registration
Laboratories/Computer Centres
Staff of higher officials
4. Control of Overtime
4.1 The Secretary of the Commission/ Registrar of a Maintenance
University/ Secretary of a University College/ the of checks and
most senior officer in the administrative staff of a records
Campus/Institute/ Centre for Higher Learning
should personally satisfy himself that overtime
has been actually and fairly earned. For this
purpose he should devise and maintain a system
of checks and records of work done on overtime
to ensure a proper output of work as well as to
avoid payment for any idle time.
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4.2 An employee should give full particulars of the Full
work he proposes to do when he makes his particulars of
application for authorisation of overtime. work on
application
The Head of the Department of Study / Division/
Centre/ Unit should examine the work which the
employee proposes to do and should not
recommend the application unless he considers it
to be fully justified under paragraph 2 of this
Chapter.
4.3 A record of overtime should be maintained in a Record of
separate Overtime Attendance Register/ any other overtime and
electronic device. He should sign “off” in the check on
Overtime Attendance Register/ any other output
electronic device when he terminates overtime
work for the day. The Head of Department of
Study / Division/ Centre/ Unit or a person
deputed by him should satisfy himself personally
that the overtime has been actually and fairly
earned, by checking the work out-put against the
overtime hours marked in the register/ electronic
device.
4.4 The Head of the Department of Study/ Division/ A register of
Centre/Unit should maintain a register of the overtime
quantum of overtime authorised to employees sanctioned
under him. Entries in this register should be
made as soon as the overtime is authorised and
this should be checked against the actual hours
marked in the Overtime Attendance Register/or
electronic device.
4.5 Whenever overtime is continuous, the Head of Re-arrangement
Department of Study / Division/ Centre /Unit of work
should review all such cases with a view to a re- internally etc.
arrangement of work internally so as to avoid Additional
incurring expenditure on overtime. Where Temp. staff or
possible, hours of work especially of primary level commuted
grades may be staggered to avoid overtime. As overtime
the last resort a case should be made out for
employment of additional staff temporarily or for
the payment of commuted overtime.
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5. Period to be counted
5.1 Overtime may be paid for work done outside the Outside
normal hours of duty, subject to the following normal hours
sub-paragraphs.
5.2 The employee should have performed a full turn Late
of duty for the day. In cases of late attendance or attendance
leave of any nature e.g. short leave, half day’s short leave etc.
leave, duty leave for religious observances etc.,
the time lost by such late attendance or leave
should be set off against the overtime performed
for the day and only the balance time should be
regarded as overtime for which payment is to be
made.
5.3 The working hours of drivers from Monday to Overtime
Friday, inclusive of lunch interval, are 9 ½ hours hours of
per day and overtime is payable to them for work Drivers
done beyond 9 ½ hours.
5.4 In respect of overtime work done on weekend off Overtime for
days or weekly off-days and holidays (vide lunch interval
paragraph 1 of Chapter IX) no deduction should when working
be made for lunch interval, if the employee on holidays
concerned did not avail himself of the lunch
interval. The employee’s superior who certifies
the number of hours worked, should also certify
that the employee did not avail himself of the
lunch interval. If no such certificate is given, it
will be reckoned that the employee availed
himself of the lunch interval and one hour will be
deducted from the number of hours claimed.
5.5 No payment should be made for less than half an Fractions of an
hour’s work at a stretch or for less than an hour which
aggregate of one hour’s overtime work for a day. are not to be
No fraction of an hour less than a quarter of an included
hour shall count in the aggregate of overtime
work done at any one stretch.
5.6 The time spent on travelling on duty outside Travelling
normal hours should not be regarded as work for time
purpose of payment of overtime unless such
travelling time involves the actual performance of
duty [e.g. driving]
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5.6.1 Where such travelling time involves work
of an intermittent nature, it should be
regarded as stand by duty and counted for
payment of half the normal rate of
overtime.
5.7 Overtime should normally be reckoned on the Employees on
basis of the hours worked in excess of the normal roster or shift
hours of duty for the day. Where, however, the duty
hours of duty are fixed on a weekly basis [i.e.
Employees on roster or shift duty who are
expected to do a certain minimum number of
hours for the week] it should be calculated on the
basis of the hours worked in excess of the number
of hours prescribed for the week.
6. Rate of Payment
6.1 The hourly rate of payment of overtime should be Hourly rate of
considered as one-and-a-half (1½) times the overtime
consolidated (basic) salary per hour of the
employee concerned.
6.1.1 An employee’s normal salary per hour will Computation
be determined by dividing the employee’s of an hour’s
monthly consolidated (basic) salary by 240. wage
6.1.2 A daily paid employee’s normal salary per Daily paid
hour will be one-eighth (1/8th) of his daily employees
wage.
6.2 The hourly rate of payment of overtime for stand Stand-by duty
by duty is one half of the rates given in sub-
paragraph 6.1 above.
6.2.1 Stand-by duty means duty where the
amount of actual work to be done is
negligible but during which the employee
is required to be at a defined post of duty.
It also includes cases in which employees
are required to sleep in their work place so
as to be readily available if needed.
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6.2.2 In the case of drivers and cleaners of motor Stand-by duty
vehicles, “Stand-by-duty” is that period of of drivers and
duty during which a driver/cleaner though cleaners
temporarily discharged and free to return
to his quarters is liable to be called up at
any time in case of need. It does not
include periods during which a
driver/cleaner is temporarily discharged
and is not liable to be suddenly recalled to
duty though he is expected to report for
duty again at a specified time.
Drivers/Cleaners who have necessarily to
remain by their vehicles during a period of
temporary discharge from duties and who
have, therefore, no freedom of movement
should be reckoned as on full-time active
duty.
6.2.3 In the reckoning of period spent on stand- Fractional
by-duty, fractions of an hour which are less periods of
than half an hour should not be taken into stand-by
account.
7. Limits
7.1 In order to curtail expenditure on overtime within In order to
the present levels, no employee should be paid by curtail
way of overtime in respect of a particular month expenditure
more than 35% of his salary for that month except
under exceptional circumstances, for which
authority has to be granted in terms of paragraph
3 of this Chapter.
8. Claims for over-time payment
8.1 Form General 35A should be used for the purpose Form to be
of making claims for overtime payment (vide used:
Appendix X). Appendix X
8.2 All claims should bear reference to the approval
obtained from the appropriate authorising officer.
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8.3 In claiming overtime the following information
should be included;
(a) The number of hours of overtime worked
for each day giving the times of arrival and
departure marked by the employee in the
Overtime Attendance Register or any other
electronic device vide sub-paragraph 4.3
above.
(b) Periods of late attendance or leave of any
nature availed of for each day in respect of
which overtime is claimed vide sub-
paragraph 5.2 above.
(c ) The net hours for which overtime is
claimed for each day i.e. (a) minus (b)
above.
(d) Hours of stand-by duty each day where
applicable
8.4 A certificate from the Head of Department of Certification
Study/ Division/ Centre/ Unit that he has
personally satisfied himself that the overtime has
been actually and fairly earned, should
accompany the claim.
9. Work on Holidays
9.1 The authority of the Chairman / Secretary of the Authority
Commission or the Vice-Chancellor / Registrar
of a University or the Director/Secretary of a
University College or the Rector/ Director/ the
most senior officer in the administrative staff of
a Campus/Institute/ Centre for Higher Learning
as appropriate, should be obtained to employ
any person employed in the Commission/
Higher Educational Institution/ Institute on a
holiday. Such authority shall be granted only if
such staff is to be employed on any special
assignment and not in connection with any day
to day work.
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9.2 A person of the non-academic staff other than a Lieu leave
casual / temporary / daily paid employee, who is
authorised to work on a holiday, will be eligible
for lieu leave in respect of such work instead of
claiming overtime.
9.2.1 Granting lieu leave for the number of Excess days
days worked in excess of one day per
month shall be decided and authorized
by the Chairman of the Commission/
Principle Executive Officer of the
Higher Educational Institution/
Institute.
10. Work on week-end off days
When a person referred to in paragraph 9 above is Option
called upon to work on a week-end off day, he will be
eligible at his option for lieu leave or overtime payment
in accordance with the overtime rules of this Chapter.
11. Casual Employees
11.1 Casual employees are entitled to paid holidays Paid Holidays
in respect of the following holidays;
(a) Thai Pongal day
(b) Prophet Mohamed’s Birthday
(c) The day before the Sinhala and Tamil
New Year day
(d) Sinhala and Tamil New Year day
(e) May day
(f) The day following the Wesak full-moon
day
(g) Independence day
(h) Christmas day
11.1.1 If a casual employee is detailed for Additional
work on any of the public holidays day’s pay
given in sub-paragraph 11.1 above, he is
also entitled to an additional day’s
wage, in respect of work on such
holiday.
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11.2 Casual employees are entitled to paid holidays Full moon
on full moon poya days. holidays
11.2.1 If a casual employee is detailed for
work on a full moon poya holiday, he is
also entitled to an additional ½ day’s
wages in respect of work on such full
moon poya day.
11.3 If a casual employee is detailed for work on a Other public
holiday other than any of the holidays in sub- holidays: lieu
paragraph 11.1 above or on any full moon poya leave or wages
holiday, he is entitled to either lieu leave or
wages as opted by the employee.
12. Holidays falling on Week-end off days
If a holiday falls on the normal week-end off days, or When public
on off days within the week to which a person is holidays falls
entitled (whether it is a Saturday or Sunday or any on weekend
other day) and he is called upon to work on such a day, off days or
he shall be entitled to such concessions as are granted weekly off
in respect of work done on off days and not those days
granted for work done on holidays.
Example: If a person is required to work on a holiday
which falls on a Sunday and Sundays are the
normal off days of that person, he should be
granted such concessions as are normally
given for work done on Sundays i.e.
overtime or lieu leave for monthly paid
employees eligible for overtime (vide
paragraph 11 of this Chapter). If, however, a
holiday falls on a Sunday and Sundays are
normal working days of the person the
provisions of paragraph 9 of this Chapter
shall apply.
13. Work on holidays by persons not eligible for
overtime
Employees of the Commission/ Higher Educational Only lieu
Institutions/ Institutes, who are not eligible for leave
overtime will only be permitted lieu leave in respect of
work on holidays and week-end off days, and shall not
be paid any remuneration except in the case of
employees in paragraphs 18 and 19 below.
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14. Work on part of a holiday
Where a person identified in paragraph 13 above is Work on part
called upon to work only for a part of the day on a of holiday
holiday, lieu leave as provided in these rules should be
allowed only for the actual hours worked. The hours
that may be reckoned for the purpose are only those
falling within the normal working hours of the person.
15. Accommodation of lieu leave
Any lieu leave accruing under this Chapter should be Lieu leave
availed of before the lapse of one year. expiry
16. Travelling on duty on holidays
Travelling on duty on holidays should not be regarded Not to be
as work done for the purpose of payment of holiday regarded as
pay, but lieu leave may be granted provided the work done
travelling is done for the performance of an official
duty.
17. Holiday pay not part of salary
Holiday pay should not be aggregated with normal Not to be
pay for any purpose such as for computing allowances aggregated
on salary, or for any other purpose such as recovery of with normal
rent of quarters, provident fund etc. pay
18. Payment to officers in executive grades working on
holidays (refer paragraph 19 of Chapter VII)
18.1 The rates of payment to officers in Executive Rates of
Grades of the Commission, Higher Educational payment
Institutions/ Institutes working on holidays, for
attending to any urgent duties are as follows:
18.1.1 1/20 of the officer's consolidated (basic)
monthly salary for a minimum of 8
hours of work.
18.2 The above rates of payment should be paid
subject to following conditions:
18.2.1 The officer concerned should have been Eligibility for
in attendance in office on five (05) working on
consecutive working days prior to the weekends and
weekend and public holidays on which non-working
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he proposes to work to be eligible to days
receive the payment. Those officers who
are unable to attend office for five (05)
consecutive working days, but work on
weekends or public holidays will be
entitled for lieu leave for such working
days and not entitled for holiday
payment.
18.2.2 Prior approval of the Chairman of the Prior approval
Commission/Principal Executive Officer to work
of the Higher Educational Institution/ during week-
Institute on a recommendation made by ends and
the Secretary of the Commission/ public
Registrar of a University/ Secretary of a holidays
University College/ most senior officer
in the administrative staff of a Campus/
Institute/ Centre for Higher Learning to
work during week-ends and public
holidays should be obtained. The
Chairman of the Commission/ Principal
Executive Officer of the Higher
Educational Institution/ Institute should
satisfy himself regarding the need for
such work and should exercise strict
control regarding attendance, quality
and quantity of work done on holiday.
18.2.3 The officer will be required to work a Minimum
minimum of 8 hours on a weekend or duration for
other public holiday to be eligible for holiday pay
the holiday payment.
18.2.4 Payments should be limited for working Limited for
during the weekends and/ or non – two days per
working days to two (2) days (8 hours calendar
per day) per calendar month. month
18.2.5 Services of an officer for more than two
days per calendar month, if necessary
could be obtained with the prior
personal approval of the Secretary of the
relevant Ministry and payments should
be made accordingly.
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19. How holiday pay and overtime are chargeable
19.1 Holiday pay is chargeable to the provisions How holiday
under which normal pay is included. pay is
chargeable
19.2 Overtime arising from work on a public holiday How overtime
as provided in paragraph 9 should be charged to on public
the normal overtime provision. holidays is
chargeable