KUWAIT CITY, Aug 5: The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has issued a decision to implement a third-fingerprint system for all government sector employees. This requires all employees to register a third fingerprint to confirm their presence during official work hours, along with the first fingerprint for entry and the second fingerprint for exit. The third fingerprint is to be recorded within 60 minutes after two hours from the start of their shift.

According to informed sources, the implementation of the third fingerprint system in Kuwait highlights the government’s dedication to enhancing government performance and promoting job discipline. Despite challenges, the anticipated benefits highlight the significance of this initiative for advancing progress in the government sector.

The system aims to bolster job discipline, increase employee adherence to designated working hours, enhance productivity, mitigate negligence, reduce absenteeism, and ensure employees’ presence during official working hours. By the decision issued by CSC, the Director General of Kuwait Municipality Saud Fayez Al-Dabbous on Sunday issued a circular to mandate all employees of the sectors and departments affiliated with the municipality’s executive authority to register a third fingerprint. The circular emphasizes adherence to these guidelines by all employees of the municipality’s executive body from the date of issuance, which is August 4, 2024.

According to informed sources, the actual implementation of the circular commences on Monday, August 5, following the completion of data updates. The first article of the circular affirms the importance of adhering to leave policies and prescribed grace periods. It mandates that employees must prove their attendance: arrival, departure, and presence at the workplace during official working hours using the fingerprint system. The third article of the circular states that employees who fail to verify their presence using the fingerprint system during working hours will be considered to have left their official duties without permission.

This will result in their absence being counted for the period following the first two hours of their shift until they validate their presence with the fingerprint, according to Article 18 of Civil Service Council’s decision No. 41/2006. Articles 4 and 5 of the circular state that the Development and Information Sector of Kuwait Municipality is responsible for updating the attendance and departure program following Civil Service Council’s resolution No. 41/2006 and its amendments, as specified in resolution No. 6/2024. Additionally, the sector is tasked with preparing a study and proposal for the potential integration of other electronic methods alongside the current fingerprint and facial recognition systems. The circular states that employees must use facial recognition to prove their arrival, departure, and presence at the workplace during official working hours, per Civil Service Council’s resolution No. 6 /2024, and without affecting leave regulations or prescribed grace periods. Employees must confirm their presence at the workplace during official working hours by taking a fingerprint within 60 minutes after the first two hours of their shift have elapsed. Employees are not required to take the fingerprint if they have obtained permission, with any related documentation signed within these 60 minutes. If an employee fails to confirm their presence as described within the 60-minute timeframe, they are considered to have left during official working hours without permission. In this case, the period from two hours after their arrival until they prove their presence will be counted as part of the delay period, following article 18 of Civil Service Council’s resolution No. 41/2006. Similar to Kuwait Municipality, the acting Secretary-General of the Municipal Council Dr. Fahad Al-Otaibi also issued a circular to obligate all employees working in all the sectors and departments affiliated with the General Secretariat of the Municipal Council to use a third fingerprint to verify their presence during official work hours. In the circular, he stressed that adherence to these measures will commence immediately upon issuance of the decision on August 4, 2024.

Informed sources at the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy affirmed that all sectors of the ministry will continue using the standard two-fingerprint system - one upon starting the shift and another upon finishing. They clarified that the recently mandated third fingerprint, as per the Civil Service Council’s decision, has not yet been implemented.

The sources explained that the ministry’s fingerprint devices are fully capable of supporting the third fingerprint system. However, the ministry is awaiting an official circular from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to clarify certain aspects related to the application of this system for some categories of employees, particularly those working shifts at stations and external sites. Ministry of Public Works’ employees currently use only two fingerprints – one for arrival and the other for departure, based on their designated working hours. They are awaiting further clarification from the Civil Service Commission regarding the implementation of the third fingerprint. Once clarified, the ministry will proceed accordingly. The Ministry of Health is yet to implement the third fingerprint system in the ministry and its affiliated departments, as per the latest update.

The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) has started implementing the third fingerprint system as of yesterday based on directives from the Director General of PAFN Dr. Mishaal Al-Zoubi. Educational institutions, including the Ministry of Education, are continuing operations smoothly without the implementation of the third fingerprint system. They are awaiting the issuance of an official circular to guide their compliance with this new requirement. Director General of the Public Authority for the Disabled Affairs (PADA) Al-Humaidi Al-Mutairi revealed that a circular with necessary guidelines has been sent to all departments to declare the implementation of the third fingerprint system, and to urge all employees to comply with the new regulations.

Sources within the Ministry of Social Affairs have confirmed that the ministry has not yet implemented the third fingerprint system, citing the absence of an official decision or circular in this regard. They revealed that no communication had been received from any government agency mandating the implementation, adding that it is expected that CSC would distribute the Civil Service Council’s decision to all government entities. The acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs Dr. Khaled Al-Ajmi affirmed the ministry’s commitment to adhering to all directives of CSC without exception, insisting that the ministry will implement all decisions and circulars accordingly. Dr. Al-Ajmi said instructions from the Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Amthal Al-Huwaila were explicit in emphasizing compliance with all decisions, including those related to the implementation of the third fingerprint system.

By Abdul Rahman Al-Shammari, Marwa Al-Bahrawi, Mohammad Ghanem, Inaas Awadh, Fares Al-Abdan, Jaber Al-Hamoud and Mohammad Al-Musleh

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff