Public sector rules introduced quietly last year mean that suspended public officials no longer have their salaries slashed by half but instead pocket 80% of their salary for the duration of their suspension.
The rules, introduced in October 2023, revamped the way the public sector’s suspension system works.
Under previous rules, a public official who was suspected of misconduct or criminally charged, could receive an eight-day summary suspension during which their entire salary was withheld, and they would be placed on up to 100 hours of forced leave. An eventual acquittal would see their withheld salary and forced leave allocation refunded.
Public officials who found themselves in hot water could also be treated with a softer touch and given a precautionary suspension, which would see them retain half their pay, until the matter is resolved.
But the new rules do away with the summary suspension entirely and slash the period of forced leave to 80 hours.
Instead, public officials suspected of wrongdoing, including those who are facing criminal proceedings, are placed under precautionary suspension until their case is concluded.
The new rules also increase the salary of suspended officials to 80%, up from the half pay they previously received.
The rules stress that the precautionary suspension is not a disciplinary measure in itself but is only intended as an interim measure to safeguard the integrity of the civil service.
Although a precautionary suspension may be indefinite, the suspended official has the right to request a review after six months have elapsed.
Other terms have also been relaxed. A provision instructing a suspended official to request permission from their head of department (who would consult with the police chief) to travel outside the Schengen area, has also been removed.
When asked why these changes were introduced, a spokesperson for the office of the principal permanent secretary, the head of Malta’s civil service, simply said that “the disciplinary regulations fall within the remit of the Public Service Commission who from time to time, in collaboration with the central division, simplifies and updates such regulations”.
“The latest updates were issued in October 2023 when suspensions were updated to be covered by 80% of their salary, rather than 50% as was previously the case.
“Furthermore, a central board evaluates cases and when possible will recall public officers on duty, albeit where recommended this may be in a different area,” the spokesperson added.
The rules appear to confirm authorities’ softening stance towards civil servants who find themselves in legal or disciplinary trouble.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that 36 public officials had returned to work since October 2023 despite facing ongoing criminal procedures.
Sources at the time said that authorities were reviewing each case individually, with those charged with less grievous transgressions returning to work at a different entity.
These included former Transport Malta official Clint Axisa, who joined Infrastructure Malta two years after being suspended over sexual harassment charges.
Meanwhile, the pay of suspended civil servants hit the spotlight in recent months, after a slew of top civil servants were criminally charged in the wake of the Vitals inquiry.
Although not a civil servant himself, Central Bank governor Edward Scicluna had also volunteered to reduce his salary by half when stepping aside from his role over the summer, saying that he felt he should be treated in the same way as civil servants.