Sisi frees presidency, Cabinet from some public sector labor laws

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has issued a decree exempting him and the prime minister from following public sector labor regulations when it comes to hiring and firing top staffers, local newspapers widely reported on Thursday.

Articles 19 and 20 of the Civil Service Law, which was ratified in February this year, hold that senior and executive management positions in the public sector must be openly advertised on a government website. Applicants would be evaluated and selected by a committee, and successful applicants would be given three-year contracts with a one-time option to renew, or the right to take up another position of a similar standing at the end of the employment period.

After the first 30 days of employment, new hires also have the right to request termination of the contract.

Presidential Decree No. 188/2015 exempts the president’s office and the office of the Cabinet from both of those articles.

The state-owned newspaper Al-Akhbar al-Youm and the privately owned newspaper Al-Watan both stated that the decree was published in Thursday’s Egyptian Gazette, though the privately owned newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm reported that the decree was actually passed at the end of April.

Lawyer Malek Adly told Mada Masr that the decree effectively liberates Sisi’s office and the Cabinet from Administrative Control Authority oversight when it comes to hiring practices, and also grants them more freedom when it comes to issues such as determining salaries.

Adly fears the decree could, in effect, sanction cronyism.

Lawyer Gamal Eid agrees. Sisi “is opening the door to making these two institutions [the president’s office and Cabinet] completely free of governmental or public supervision,” he warned. "He is turning them into two private sector bodies within the government.”

The decree essentially removes any checks and balances from the hiring process at the top governmental level, he said, comparing the situation to corrupt practices under former President Hosni Mubarak.