CSC says dress standards link to employee conduct

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has said that the standard of dress required in government offices is directly linked to employee conduct under the Civil Service Code of Conduct.

The CSC recently introduced amendments to the dress code, with detailed standards for female civil servants. The rules state that clothing must cover the neckline and bust, and female employees are prohibited from dyeing their hair. The changes have drawn criticism from the opposition MDP and others, who argue that the rules interfere with women’s privacy, while many have also expressed support.

Speaking on a PSM programme on Monday, CSC Counsel General Ibrahim Rasheed said the Code of Conduct clearly defines dress standards as part of employee behaviour. He said that if action is taken against an employee based on dress code, it falls under the Code of Conduct.

“The usual rule in these types of cases is to instruct the employees first and guide the employees. If they don’t improve, we have to go to another step,” Ibrahim said.

He said the amendments were made to provide clarity to rules that were previously very general. While the CSC does not set dress standards for the specific work of each office, all offices must now establish dress codes in line with the updated regulations.

Under the new rules, female employees may wear jewellery and makeup for decorative purposes, and their hair must be kept neat. However, dyeing, shading or highlighting hair is prohibited, except for blackening it.

Two new articles were added to the amended rules, including additional details on the dress code for male employees. While the rules specify hairstyles for female staff, they do not include any provisions on hairstyles for male employees.

The dress code for female civil servants was revised several weeks ago. Although there are multiple sources of guidance on such matters, CSC officials noted that these issues are not addressed in existing laws.