Army Working Hours | Regulations submitted to the Parliament – The main provisions

Defence Redefined

06/03/2021

The Regulations regarding the working hours of the members of the Army were submitted to the Parliament, after the approval of the Cabinet. The regulations that are expected to be passed by the Parliament in the coming weeks are in regards to a well-established request of the members of the Armed Forces. It should be noted that the National Guard is the only body without statutory working hours operating according to the internal orders of the Chief of the National Guard (N.G.).

These regulations stipulate, inter alia, that the total weekly duty time of Army officers is 37.5 hours, whether based on regular or special working hours (e.g. Monday to Sunday night duties).

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It is specified, however, that the maximum working hours per week may not exceed 48 hours on average, including working time for special duties (e.g. night duties), within a six-month period and not in a week. Within this six-month period, the duration of eligible annual leave and sick leave, holidays, operational travel and working time while on alert are not taken into account for the calculation of the weekly working hours. The term “alert”, however, implies the constant presence of members of the Army in a designated area so as to deal with emergencies.

The members of the Army are not exempted from any obligation to participate in exercises, the reservists’ and conscripts’ presentations, duties performance for the implementation of security measures, trainers in Training Centers (KEN) and participation in social or other events.

For the performance of special duties (as mentioned above) or the participation in night exercises exceeding 8 hours per month a proportional rest time that varies depending on the duty will be granted. For example, for a duty performed on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, a public holiday or the day preceding a public holiday, a day of rest is granted within 15 days. Also, the duty of the members of the Army who perform night duties on working days will start at 11:00.

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The absence of statutory working hours for the officers of the Armed Forces is an issue that has preoccupied the Cyprus Army Officers and NCOs associations (SAKS and SYKS respectively) since 2014. In 2015, the then regulations for the Working Hours of the Members of the Cyprus Army were withdrawn right before their vote – by the then Minister of Defence Christoforos Fokaidis – and after their articles had been amended by the Parliament, following the efforts of the two associations. The then justification by the Minister of Defence and Chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Georgios Basiakoulis, was that the changes that took place affected the operation of the National Guard.

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However, the withdrawal of the relevant regulations in 2015 was followed by the secondment of about 120 officials of the Armed Forces to the Police to strengthen security measures at airports of the Republic of Cyprus, something that provoked the reaction of SAKS and SYKS.

The working time regulations will not apply to the Professional Soldiers (SYOPs) since they are not part of the permanent staff of the Cyprus Army. However, the regulation of the issues concerning the working hours and duties of SYOPs will continue to be regulated by the Chief of the N.G.

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