Reply:
(a)
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(b)
Table showing the conditioned hours of work as well as the arrangements for compensating overtime work undertaken by officers in various ranks in the disciplined services is attached at Annex.
Overtime work may be undertaken only when it is unavoidable and should be kept to the absolute minimum compatible with operational requirements. Apart from exceptional circumstances arising from unforeseen events, overtime must be authorised in advance by a Head of Department or an officer nominated for this purpose by the Head of Department personally.
Compensation for overtime work in the disciplined services should normally take the form of time-off in lieu. If it is impracticable to grant time off within one month of the date on which the overtime is worked, a Disciplined Services Overtime Allowance (DSOA) may be paid to all rank and file staff, junior members of officer grades and exceptionally, some senior officers in specific case when the Standing Committee on Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service has given approval for them to receive such an allowance. An officer may, however, opt for time-off in lieu at a later date instead of DSOA, subject to the exigencies of the service.
The conditioned hours for members of the disciplined services are determined by the operational needs of the disciplined services departments. in relation to the responsibilities, complement and the actual manpower situation in a particular grade. Factors which are taken into account when conditioned hours are considered include shift pattern, the nature of the work, working conditions and the level of stress officers may experience on the job. As the operational requirements of the various disciplined services differ, it is clearly not feasible to set uniform conditioned hours for all the services. Any changes in the conditioned hours will have pay implications.
The arrangement for compensating officers for their overtime worked as described in (a) above apply to all disciplined services. We consider the current conditioned hours and compensation for overtime work arrangements in the various disciplined services departments to be appropriate. They will be reviewed as and when circumstances dictate. We currently have no plan to amend conditioned hours in the disciplined services.
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