The People’s Majlis has passed the Re-employment Bill, which facilitates the opportunity for state employees to remain in service until the age of 75.
The bill was passed by the Parliament following the submission of the report by the Committee on National Development and Heritage, which had reviewed the proposed legislation. The bill received 46 votes in favor.
The “Re-employment Bill,” introduced on behalf of the government by the Member for Guraidhoo constituency, Hanan Mohamed Rasheed, aims to establish the principles and procedures for enabling state employees to continue their service until the age of 75 through a re-employment framework. The bill further outlines the operational guidelines for such re-employment.
According to the bill, re-employment will be available to individuals between the ages of 65 and 75 currently in state employment who wish to continue their service. Additionally, individuals who previously served in state positions and retired upon reaching the pensionable age within seven years prior to the commencement of this Act may also be eligible for re-employment.
Re-employment under this framework must be based on an agreement that is subject to annual renewal. Under these regulations, an employee may be re-appointed to their previous position or an equivalent post.
The bill stipulates that the salaries and allowances for re-employed individuals will be determined in accordance with the standards set by the National Pay Commission. While individuals re-employed under this framework will not be eligible for the basic state pension provided at age 65, they will continue to receive other pension benefits as mandated by the Pension Act.
Employees wishing to continue their service after the age of 65 are required to apply for re-employment six months prior to reaching the age of 65. For those who have already retired, the application for re-employment must be submitted within four months of the Act coming into effect.
The bill also clarifies that even upon enactment, these provisions will not apply to members of the Maldives National Defence Force, the Maldives Police Service, judges, or individuals appointed to positions established under the Constitution or specific laws.
