The Civil Service Commission issued External Circular No. 11 of 2026 following a Civil Service Council meeting on May 14 that set reduced hours for the summer period from June 1 through August 31. Government offices will now return to the standard seven-hour morning workday while preserving established grace periods for arrival and departure. Evening shifts will also revert to their conventional start times not before 5 p.m. under the reinstated framework that complies with Civil Service Council Resolution No. 41 of 2006 and subsequent amendments. All entities received notification to implement the change uniformly to avoid disruption in public services.
According to the commission’s May announcement, the summer adjustment was designed to ease electricity consumption during peak demand months when air conditioning loads surge. Similar annual measures have been coordinated with the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy in prior years to support grid stability. The circular made clear that the reduction did not apply to certain shift systems regulated by specific laws, a distinction that carries over to the restored schedule. Flexible attendance windows will align once more with pre-summer parameters for staff choosing start times between set morning hours.
Al-Anba reported that sources confirmed the automatic reversion to normal hours after the summer period ends, with morning shifts returning to seven hours daily. The transition aligns with the conclusion of high temperatures that drove the temporary cut, as detailed in the original CSC directive. Female employees will resume their standard 15-minute end-of-shift grace period under the evening system while male staff observe the 30-minute start-only allowance. This ensures consistency with long-standing civil service regulations that predate the summer modifications.
Basma Al-Yaqoub, director of the Fatwa and Opinion Department at the Civil Service Commission, provided detailed clarifications on the summer rules during a Kuwait TV interview in May that also outlined implications for the return to regular operations. Her explanations covered interactions between grace periods and actual working time, offering guidance that remains applicable as entities prepare for full hours. The commission has emphasized full compliance with all provisions to maintain operational efficiency following the change. Staff across ministries and agencies are expected to adjust their routines accordingly without further circulars.
The commission’s framework suspends any conflicting directives issued under exceptional circumstances, reinforcing the default return to standard schedules. This approach has been consistent in previous cycles where summer reductions ended precisely on August 31. Public sector employees, who form a significant portion of the national workforce, will benefit from the predictability of the reinstated system. The move comes as part of broader administrative practices that balance employee welfare with national resource management objectives.
