The Civil Service Bureau (CSB) today issued a circular to all civil servants, announcing the streamlined mechanism of retiring officers on grounds of persistent sub-standard performance that takes effect on the same day.

Under section 12 of the Public Service (Administration) Order, sub-par officers may be required to retire in the public interest.

Key aspects of the streamlined mechanism include reducing unnecessary representations at multiple junctures and cancelling the requirement for a Head of Department or Head of Grade to set up an “independent panel” within the department and consult the panel before submitting their case to the CSB.

The streamlined mechanism also requires that the “observation period” for a persistent sub-standard performer can only be extended once and for specific circumstances only.

Additionally, the mechanism would require stopping or deferring the salary increment of an officer who is subject to Section 12 action and whose performance remains persistently sub-standard.

The CSB said that the streamlined mechanism aims to, under the impartiality and fairness principle, further enhance performance management and maintain the civil service’s professionalism and efficiency, thereby improving governance efficacy.

It has consulted the Public Service Commission on the streamlined mechanism and collected views from the staff side this year. The staff side generally agreed with the streamlining measures.

The Chief Executive announced in the 2022 Policy Address that for officers whose performance remains persistently sub-standard despite supervision and assistance, their appointments should be terminated in a timely manner.