Syria’s presidential General Secretariat said Wednesday that the extra hour added to the government workday should be tied to measurable improvements in public services rather than simply longer attendance.

Agencies should compare daily completed transactions, average processing times and accumulated files before and after implementation, the secretariat told SANA.

Each institution should decide whether to extend public reception hours or use additional time to complete internal processing, while clearly announcing service schedules.

Public economic enterprises may organize shifts around operational needs, subject to their governing laws, it said. Pay, breaks and leave remain subject to existing legislation.

The secretariat also called for clarification of the additional hour’s legal treatment and flexible arrangements for employees facing health, caregiving or exceptional commuting difficulties.

Source: SANA. Photo: Anonymous / Unsplash / CC0 1.0. Desk, October 2016 (illustrative).