KUWAIT CITY, Jan 8: In an effort to maintain the expertise within ministries and state agencies, the Council of Ministers has directed the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to address the recent outcomes concerning the new categories of state employees eligible for retirement pensions. These employees have completed the required service periods in terms of age and service. The Council emphasized the importance of developing a mechanism that ensures the government's continued success in implementing its plans without disrupting the operations of its agencies as these employees retire.

According to sources, the Council requested that the CSC establish a comprehensive framework to manage the retirements of these employees, both men and women, to prevent any negative impact on the state’s institutions. The goal is to avoid the depletion of competencies and expertise that could result from their departure. The Council aims to strike a balance between facilitating the retirement of employees and ensuring that the workflow within government agencies remains uninterrupted, particularly when a significant number of employees in a given agency are retiring.

The Council has also requested the CSC to ensure that the regulations and procedures are in place, in coordination with the General Organization for Social Insurance, to take into account the needs of government agencies and the overall public budget. One of the key priorities is to identify suitable replacements for retiring employees by training existing staff to step into their roles.

The sources added that the Council stressed the importance of creating a specific mechanism that addresses the fundamental principles when employees are referred to retirement. This is aimed at injecting new talent into the workforce while ensuring that government agencies retain critical expertise. The new retirement criteria include women aged 50 and men aged 55, with a maximum of 30 years of actual service for each.

The Council will soon issue a final decision regarding the new categories eligible for retirement pensions, based on a recently concluded system. The Civil Service Commission will determine the necessary mechanisms and controls to ensure the success of this initiative. The goal is to maintain expertise within ministries for as long as possible while ensuring a smooth transition to replacements.

Furthermore, the Council has requested the CSC to provide lists of employees who are set to retire in the near future, to help assess the situation and plan for their replacements. The Bureau has been instructed to ensure that government agencies are not adversely affected by the retirement of employees, especially those with specialized and rare skill sets that may not have current replacements available. The Council also emphasized the need for thorough consideration of alternative solutions, such as training existing employees, before these employees become eligible for retirement.