Government administrations plan to implement an electronic fingerprinting system to document public-sector workers' attendance, sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. The system, set to start next year, will replace the current arrangement in which workers sign log books when they arrive to work and leave. Plans to install the new system follow the failure of the old system to make sure employees abide by their working hours, sources said. The Control and Investigation Board (CIB), which has stressed the importance of implementing the electronic system for public sector workers, has said that it has been successful in the private sector. Some government administrations have started implementing the system as part of their efforts to prevent wasting funds due to employees' persistent absenteeism and lack of attention given to attendance registers. Sources in the CIB have confirmed to Okaz/Saudi Gazette that officials in all sectors should implement the electronic system. The CIB found a high percentage of absenteeism in government offices during this Ramadan and on the first two days after Eid holidays. More than 70,000 civil servants were found absent from work on the first day of office after Eid holidays, according to CIB field surveys. An inspection found out that many of the workers absent from duty were in hospitals, labor offices, social security and mayor's offices. Health and education sectors topped the list of offices where workers were found absent, followed by labor offices. Over six percent of public servants were absent from work during the first 10 days of Ramadan, according to a field report compiled by the CIB's 20 branches across the Kingdom. It revealed that a number of government employees were repeatedly absent or failed to report on time. Most of the absentee civil servants worked for vital government agencies, delaying much
