Sources close to the Control and Investigation Board (CIB), the body responsible for assessing government departments' work performance, have said that numerous absences and widespread tardiness were registered across government sectors on the first day back at work following the Eid holidays. One CIB source said that department managers attributed Saturday's absenteeism to “illness”, and noted that each day of absence would, according to regulations, be punished with a deduction of two days' pay. The CIB made its observations during inspections at government departments providing services to the public such as hospitals, Labor Offices, Social Security departments, and Civil Affairs. CIB staff are scheduled to participate next week in training courses for workers in the field held in different cities of the Kingdom. The courses, designed to improve monitoring, investigation, administration and financial skills, will allow participants from across the world to share work experience with several experts from advanced nations.
