Govt indefinitely suspends leave encashment facility

Chennai: “The government, after careful consideration, has decided that the periodical surrender of EL for encashment for 15 days every year/ 30 days every two years, as provided under rule 7A of the Tamil Nadu Leave Rules 1933, shall be suspended until further orders to all government employees and teachers,” an order issued by the Human Resources Management department on April 11 said.

“The order would be applicable to all constitutional/statutory bodies including all state corporations/local bodies/ boards/ universities/ commission/ companies/ institutions and societies. Amendment to Rule 7A of the Tamil Nadu Leave Rules 1933 in this regard would be issued separately,” the order issued by Mythili K Rajendran, secretary to government, state Human Resource Management, said.

The order for indefinite suspension of leave encashment follows a similar order issued on May 13, 2021, when the DMK government had issued an order for suspending the leave encashment till March 31, 2022, due to the continuous onslaught of coronavirus and resultant fiscal stress. Tamil Nadu government had first suspended the encashment of surrendered EL for government employees in 2020. On April 27, 2020, the then AIADMK regime led by former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami suspended EL encashment owing to the financial stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.