Leave Rules in Railways: Casual Leave, Study Leave, Leave Rules for School Teachers and CCL

Railway Leave Rules PDF

We provide here all the information required to understand the various leave rules, types, and eligibility requirements applicable to government employees in India. There are several types of leave available to government employees in India. These include casual leave, earned leave, half-pay leave, and medical leave. Casual leave is granted to employees for short-term absences due to personal reasons. Earned leave is granted to employees for long-term absences due to personal reasons. Half-pay leave is granted to employees for long-term absences due to medical reasons. Medical leave is granted to employees for short-term absences due to medical reasons.

CL (Casual Leave) Rules

Casual Leave is approved to manage unexpected and pressing personal matters. The entire salary will be given for the Casual Leave time. Those who are permitted to enjoy public holidays can avail 8 days of Casual Leave in one year. Others are eligible to have 11 days of Casual Leave in one year. Employees working in Administrative Offices can be granted half-day Casual Leave. It is not allowed to join Casual Leave and any other form of leave or joining period. Those hired on any day of the year can take up the full Casual Leave, either 8 or 11 days. Physically Disabled staff are allowed to take an additional 4 days of Casual Leave each year. Unused Casual Leave will be forfeited and will not be rolled over to the next year.

SCL (Special Casual Leave) Rules

Employees who are in Scouts, Guides, Territorial Army and St. John Ambulance can avail Special Casual Leave (SCL) to attend rallies or camps, while athletes can use it to join tournaments and coaching camps. It is also given to office bearers of authorized Trade Unions for PNM, FNM and Executive committee meetings. Besides, it can be given as Defense Helpers to attend DAR Inquiries. Employees who are a part of managing committees of Co-Operative Societies, Stores, Canteens, and Institutes are also allowed to use SCL for attending meetings. In case of an emergency like a bundh, curfew or flood, SCL can be applied for. The full salary will be provided during the SCL period and it cannot be combined with any other type of leave.

Study Leave Rules

After 5 years of employment in the Railway, employees are allowed to take Study Leave for educational pursuits that will benefit the Railways. This leave is initially granted for 12 months, although it can be extended to 24 months for doctors. Such leave does not reduce any other type of leave and the salary is maintained, unless there is a stipend or scholarship, in which case it will be reduced. Upon completion of the course, a passing certificate must be presented; if not, the salary will need to be refunded. This leave can be combined with other forms of leave. If the total amount of leave taken is combined, it should not be more than 28 months for a degree, and 36 months for a PhD.

Maternity Leave Rules

All female employees are eligible for Maternity Leave. This includes leave for pregnancy, miscarriage, and abortion. For pregnancy, a time frame of 180 days of leave is approved, and for miscarriage and abortion, 45 days of leave is sanctioned throughout their service. If the pregnancy is being taken, employees must have a maximum of two kids to be eligible for the leave. However, for miscarriage and abortion, there is no restriction on the number of children, and only a medical certificate is needed. Maternity Leave can be combined with any other type of leave, including Leave Not Due up to 60 days, but the total leave should not exceed two years. Maternity Leave will not be deducted from any other leave account, and the full salary is paid during the period.

Paternity Leave Rules

Male employees are allowed PL. They need to have less than two living children. This leave is provided for a duration of fifteen days. It is given when the employee’s wife is in confinement (i.e. fifteen days prior or within six months of the delivery date). If the leave is not taken within this period, it will be forfeited. PL is also available if the employee has adopted a baby that is younger than twelve months. The PL will not be debited to any leave account, and the employee will receive their full salary during the period of leave. The PL can be combined with any other type of leave.

LAP (Leave on Average Pay) Rules

Railway workers are entitled to receive an advance of 30 days’ worth of leave on average pay (LAP) in their leave account each year. This credit is split into two installments, 15 days on January 1st and 15 days on July 1st. If someone is appointed or retires anytime during the year, they will receive a credit of 2.5 days every month until the end of that half-year. In the event of unapproved absence, suspension, or Dies-non, one-tenth of the period of time will be subtracted from their leave account. The maximum amount of leave that can be accrued is 300 days, plus an additional 15 days of credit from the upcoming half-year. A maximum of 180 days’ LAP can be approved at once, and 300 days’ LAP can be cashed out upon retirement. LAP cannot be combined with CL.

LHAP (Leave on Half Average Pay) Rules

Employees who work in the railway are eligible to receive 20 days of LHAP in a year. This is credited to their leave account in two portions of 10 days each, with one installment occurring on the first of January and the other on the first of July. If someone is appointed or retires during a half year, then the credit will be given out at a rate of 5/3 days per month until the end of that half year. In the event of an unauthorized absence, suspension, or dies-non, 1/18th of such period will be taken from the LHAP account. There is no set limit for how much can be accumulated. When an employee is on LHAP, they are paid half their salary. On retirement, LHAP cannot be cashed, but if 300 days of LAP is not available to be cashed, then the LHAP can be used to make up the difference. Employees also have the option to convert a period of sick leave into LHAP, and if done, the amount of days in the sick period will be doubled and placed into the LHAP account.

LND (Leave not due) Rules

When an employee does not have any accrued leave in their Leave and Half Pay (LHAP) balance, then Leave Not Due (LND) can be sanctioned. This type of leave is only allowed with a valid medical certificate and is capped at a maximum of 360 days during the employee’s entire period of service. During the LND period, the employee will be paid at half pay, similar to the LHAP leave. This could be considered as having an overdraft of LHAP since the sanctioning authority must be confident that the employee will return and be able to earn a sufficient amount of LHAP to balance out the LND. It can be taken as an extension of the LAP and LHAP.

Leave Rules for School Teachers, HMs & Librarians

If an employee does not have any remaining LAP or LHAP balance, leave not due can be granted. This type of leave is approved with a medical certificate, and a limit of 360 days is imposed for the duration of an individual’s entire service. Payment for this type of leave is only half-salary, similar to what is paid for LHAP. This is essentially like a pre-approved LHAP overdraft. The authority granting the leave must be certain that the employee will return to work and make up the LHAP balance that was used for the LND. This can occur in conjunction with LAP and LHAP. In a 12-month period, if a person is allowed to take 40 days of holiday, then no extra leave-at-privilege (LAP) will be credited to his or her LAP account. If they are not allowed to use all 40, then 20 days of LAP will be added to the account, and if only 20 are taken, then 10 days of extra LAP will be credited. Additionally, regardless of vacation days, two installments of 10-day long-leave-at-privilege (LHAP) will be added to the leave account on the first of January and the first of July.

WRIL (Work-related illness and Injury Leave) Rules

Beginning on December 14, 2018, WRIL (Work Related Injury Leave) was substituted in place of Hospital Leave and Special Disability Leave. WRIL is given when an injury or sickness is caused by the person’s official task. During the period of hospitalization, the individual will receive their full wages. For the first six months post hospitalization, the individual will still receive their full pay; for the subsequent twelve months, however, the person will receive half salary. For Officers of the RPF department, full salary will be given for the initial six months, and half salary for the next twenty-four months. As for Constables and Inspectors of the RPF, full salary is given for the whole WRIL period. WRIL will not be deducted from LAP or LHAP accounts, and no credit of LAP or LHAP will be granted for the WRIL period.

CCL (Child Care Leave) Rules

To be qualified for Child Care Leave (CCL), female personnel and single male staff must have worked for a maximum of 730 days. CCL is given for two of the oldest surviving children, unless they are 18 or older, in which case CCL is still offered for any disabled kids without any age limit. This leave is not taken from any leave accounts and the full wage will be paid for the first 365 days, followed by 80% of the salary for the next 365 days. CCL can be combined with any other kind of leave, but the total time period cannot exceed one year. Holidays that fall during CCL are taken into account as CCL, and a maximum of three CCLs can be authorized in a year, each of which must be at least five days. CCL cannot be requested as an entitlement and must be approved before any employee can take it.