A number of officials and experts have urged authorities to introduce strict regulations to put an end to the practice.

They underlined the need to take stringent punitive measures against violators of regulations governing sick leave, according to a report published by Al-Riyadh Arabic daily.

Muhammad Al-Zayed, director of education in Al-Aflaj region, said that the trend of medical professionals recklessly issuing sick leave certificates is quite disturbing, especially where senior officials are concerned.

“This trend is in contravention of the rules and regulations of the concerned government departments, such as the ministries of education, health and civil affairs,” he said.

“Lack of professional ethics on the part of some employees as well as some doctors is the main villain in this respect. These people have total disregard for the noble values of their job, and they are not committed to their profession as well.”

According to Al-Zayed, the existing rules and regulations are enough to put an end to this undesirable practice.

“The important thing is how we put into practice these regulations. Every department has its own wing to implement these regulations effectively,” he said.

“For example, the school health unit is the designated body at the Department of Education. This unit, in coordination with their respective hospitals and polyclinics, must adhere to a strict mechanism when issuing sick leave to any of their employees.”

Muhammad Al-Hazaa, assistant director of the education office in Alkhobar region, underlined the need for conducting research on how to make employees more conscious of their work and also ensure it is more enriching for them. “There should be a total rehabilitation of employees who demonstrate the tendency to abstain from work by pretending to be ill. The employees should be made aware of the fact that sick leave is only the right of a sick employee,” he said.

Saleh Al-Arjani, an educational expert, said that the number of those calling in sick when not really ill demonstrates a disturbing trend of abstaining from work deliberately.

“Malingerers should be prosecuted after carrying out necessary investigations. Punitive disciplinary measures such as demotion and barring those responsible from promotion, allowances and transfers should be taken against them,” he said.

Saleh Al-Arjani also underlined the need for taking action against errant doctors and senior office staffers who help employees call in sick when they are really bunking work.

Adnan Al-Ahmar, supervisor of education at the Education Department in the Eastern Region, called for introducing a mechanism to follow up cases of employees taking sick leave in a way that does not affect productivity.

He also stressed the need for administrative reforms to put an end to this practice and punish violators.

Abdul Rahman Al-Shokru, media official at King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam, urged authorities to take strict measures to contain this trend, which is seen to adversely affect productivity.

Adel Al-Abdul Qader, a psychological specialist, described malingerers as abnormal people. “This is a mental issue. Such people want to run away from work and resort to feigning illness to secure sick leave,” he said.

The Fatwa Committee at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs had earlier urged all men and women employees in the Kingdom to be punctual at work.

It warned against those tempted to abuse labor law provisions to stay away from work.

The act of some doctors to issue sick leave for malingerers is a form of forgery and all those involved in such practices are committing a grave sin, the committee said.