National civil servants with five to less than 10 years of service will receive three days of special leave as a reward for long-term service. Civil servants with children who have graduated from kindergarten but have not yet entered elementary school will also be able to use family care leave.
The Ministry of Personnel Management announced Wednesday that it will issue a legislative notice for the revised "National Civil Servant Service Regulations" containing these measures. Previously, long-service leave was granted only to civil servants with 10 or more years of service, but the revision expands eligibility to those with five to 10 years. "We took into account that local governments are already granting long-service leave to employees with five to 10 years of service," the ministry said.
The eligible reasons for civil servants to use family care leave will also be expanded. Previously, family care leave could only be used when childcare was needed for children or grandchildren due to school closures or hospital visit accompaniment. Going forward, civil servants with children who have graduated from daycare or kindergarten but have not yet entered elementary school are also expected to be able to use family care leave. The new regulations are scheduled to take effect in June after deliberation by the Cabinet.