Casual Leave Rules for WB Government Employees And Continuous Leave Limit Details

Casual Leave Rules: Among the various types of leave available to employees and teachers working under the West Bengal State Government, Casual Leave, commonly known as CL, is one of the most significant. It is widely known that employees are entitled to 14 days of Casual Leave in a year. However, did you know that technically, Casual Leave is not even treated as a formal “leave”? To understand such intricate details and avoid rejection of leave applications, it is essential to know the rules thoroughly.

Understanding Casual Leave (CL)

The rules regarding Casual Leave are enshrined in the West Bengal Service Rules (WBSR), Part 1, specifically under Rules 167 and 207, as well as Appendix 10. Every state government employee is allocated 14 days of Casual Leave per calendar year. This quota is credited on the 1st of January and remains available for the employee to utilize throughout the year.

However, a crucial point to note is that this leave does not carry forward. If any portion of the 14 days remains unused by the end of the year, it cannot be transferred to the next year. The validity of these leaves is strictly limited to one calendar year.

Is Casual Leave Technically a ‘Leave’?

It might come as a surprise, but under the service rules, Casual Leave is not treated as a recognized form of “leave” in the technical sense. An employee on CL is not considered absent from duty for certain administrative purposes, unlike other long-term leaves. However, this flexibility comes with specific limitations regarding the duration of absence.

Maximum Limit for Continuous Casual Leave

One of the most critical rules regarding CL is the cap on continuous absence. According to the regulations, Casual Leave cannot be sanctioned for a period exceeding 7 days at a stretch. This 7-day limit applies to the total period of absence, not just the number of CL days taken.

Let’s understand this with a practical example involving holidays:
Suppose Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were holidays in a particular week. Wednesday and Thursday are working days, followed by Friday, Saturday, and Sunday being holidays again.
If an employee wishes to take CL on that Wednesday and Thursday, the calculation of total absence would be:

• Initial Holidays: 3 days (Sun, Mon, Tue)
• Requested CL: 2 days (Wed, Thu)
• Following Holidays: 3 days (Fri, Sat, Sun)
• Total Absence: 3 + 2 + 3 = 8 days.

Since the total absence becomes 8 days, which exceeds the maximum limit of 7 days, the Casual Leave for Wednesday and Thursday cannot be granted in this scenario.

How Intervening Holidays (Sandwich Rule) Work

A common query among employees is how Sundays or holidays falling within a leave period are treated.

The Rule: If a Sunday or a public holiday falls within the period of Casual Leave, it is not deducted from the employee’s CL balance of 14 days. However, it is counted towards the calculation of “Total Absence.”

Example:
An employee applies for leave from Friday to Tuesday. There is a Sunday in between.

• Total Absence: 5 days (Friday to Tuesday).
• CL Deducted: 4 days (Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday). Sunday is not deducted.
• Result: Since the total absence is 5 days (which is less than 7), this leave application can be approved.

Summary of Key Restrictions

To simplify the regulations, here is a quick reference table regarding Casual Leave restrictions:

Being aware of these specific rules helps government employees plan their leaves effectively without violating the West Bengal Service Rules.