Thiruvananthapuram: There is a real cause of alarm for Kerala government employees, who are habitual latecomers or those who regularly leave early from offices or those who "disappear" every now and then in between the work.

Such defaulters will not get their full salary automatically on the first working day of the next month since the government is going to link the biometric punching system in offices with the salary software SPARK. Once the new system comes into force, the latecomers will either face a pay cut or loss of leave.

Chief Secretary VP Joy has issued an order, mandating the linking of the biometric system with the salary software in government offices.

Though the government introduced the punching system in all government offices years back, it came into effect only in 75 per cent of offices.

Even in offices where the punching system had been introduced, it was not linked with SPARK.

Because of this lacuna, the habitual latecomers and those who leave offices immediately after punching continued to enjoy unlimited freedom and get their full salary if their superior officer did not object.

This was the reason why most of the offices hitherto avoided linking the biometric facility with salary software.

But after receiving numerous complaints regarding the haphazard functioning of government offices, the Chief Secretary once again issued the order, linking both the systems. The order wanted the department heads to ensure that the new system works effectively in offices.

Another Government Order was also issued making it compulsory that those who join afresh in the Government Secretariat or those who return to work there after deputation in other offices will have to punch from the first day itself. Otherwise, they will face a salary cut.

The punching system was first linked with SPARK in the Secretariat in 2017. Later, steps were taken to implement the new system in other offices. But during the COVID-19 period, the practice of punching itself got derailed. It was reintroduced last September.

Impact of SPARK-punching system linkage
The late comers will get a 300-minute grace period. The maximum grace period per day is 60 minutes.

The grace period will be counted from the 16th of a month to 15th of next month.

If an employee comes late or fails to report for work even after availing the stipulated grace period, his or her salary for that particular day will be cut.

The leave application should be given through SPARK. Otherwise, it will be treated as unauthorised absence, leading to a salary cut.

The total working time is seven hours per day. Anyone who does 10 hours of extra work in a month will be entitled for one-day compensatory off.

The one-time punching by an employee will be treated as leave.