The Civil Service Bureau has proposed giving each government employee up to 12 hours of family care leave a year, taken in blocks of one to four hours. The proposal is set out in a document submitted to the legislature.
The leave would cover accompanying a family member to a medical appointment, caring for an ill relative, attending a child’s school activity or dealing with an unexpected household matter. Examples include a child’s sudden school closure or a gas leak at home.
Unused hours could not be carried into the following year. Employees needing more time for family matters should apply for ordinary leave or another applicable type of leave.
Under the proposed application process, employees would generally submit a form stating their reason before taking leave, without supporting documents. An approver could ask for evidence if they had doubts about an application or suspected misuse; examples include a doctor’s certificate, proof of attendance or a school notice.
If an urgent matter prevented an employee from applying in advance, they could first seek approval orally or by another feasible means, then submit the form as soon as possible afterwards. The bureau expects the leave to begin in January 2027, after consulting staff-side representatives and finalising the arrangements.