Legal basis and policy intent
- Rule VIII, Sections 1 and 2 of the Omnibus Rules (implementing Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987) requires departments to create a work climate conductive to development and to include provisions for welfare and similar services in career and personal development plans.
- The CSC implements this framework by issuing a policy enabling agencies and unions to include special privileges among reasonable working conditions in the public sector through civil service mechanisms.
- CSC Memorandum Circular No. 30, s. 1994 established a checklist of reasonable working conditions in the public sector that includes special privileges but did not specify a total number of days negotiable.
Enumerated special privileges
- Agencies may grant paternity leave as a special privilege.
- Agencies may grant funeral/mourning leave as a special privilege.
- Agencies may grant graduation leave as a special privilege.
- Agencies may grant enrollment leave as a special privilege.
- Agencies may grant wedding/anniversary leave as a special privilege.
- Agencies may grant birthday leave as a special privilege.
- Agencies may grant hospitalization leave as a special privilege.
- Agencies may grant accident leave as a special privilege.
- Agencies may grant relocation leave as a special privilege.
Who may grant and who may receive
- Agencies are authorized to grant the enumerated special privileges to their employees.
- Authorization applies to agencies with or without existing or approved Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA).
- Employees may avail of any special privilege/s of his/her choice under the conditions imposed by the CSC.
- The approval requirement applies to an employee’s application for special privileges before availment.
Core limits and character of privileges
- Maximum days rule: An employee may be granted a maximum of three (3) days within a calendar year for the availment of any special privilege/s of the employee’s choice.
- Non-cumulative rule: Special privileges are non-cumulative.
- Non-commutable rule: Special privileges are non-commutable.
- The employee’s selection is limited by the single annual cap of three (3) days for all special privileges availed in a calendar year.
Application and approval timing
- An employee must seek approval of the application for special privileges at least one (1) week prior to the availment of the privilege.
- The one (1) week prior approval requirement is subject to an emergency cases exception.
- The requirement focuses on application approval before the employee avails the privilege, except in emergencies.
Leave chargeability and credits
- The special privileges, if utilized, are not charged to and not deducted from the employee’s accumulated leave credits.
- Utilization of the special privileges does not reduce the employee’s official accumulated leave balance.
Repeal of inconsistent issuances
- All other existing Civil Service Commission resolutions and issuances that are inconsistent with CSC Memorandum Circular No. 6, s. 1996 are deemed repealed or amended.
- The circular directs agencies to be guided accordingly in granting these special privileges under the stated conditions.